OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of different methods of pregnancy termination on the culture success rate of postmortem fetal tissue. METHODS: In a randomized trial, umbilical cord specimens were collected in a standardized manner and culture success rates were compared according to the method of pregnancy termination. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher culture success rate in the vaginal (90.0%) and oral misoprostol (83.0%) groups compared to the intra-amniotic injection of prostaglandin group (52.8%). CONCLUSION: The results of our study and the very high success rate reported by others from specimens following dilatation and evacuation lead us to suggest that exposure to drugs used to induce abortion may be a more important factor in culture failure than either tissue type or time in transit. (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of different methods of pregnancy termination on the culture success rate of postmortem fetal tissue. METHODS: In a randomized trial, umbilical cord specimens were collected in a standardized manner and culture success rates were compared according to the method of pregnancy termination. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher culture success rate in the vaginal (90.0%) and oral misoprostol (83.0%) groups compared to the intra-amniotic injection of prostaglandin group (52.8%). CONCLUSION: The results of our study and the very high success rate reported by others from specimens following dilatation and evacuation lead us to suggest that exposure to drugs used to induce abortion may be a more important factor in culture failure than either tissue type or time in transit. (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel