Abstract
The hormone progestin, extracted from the corpus luteum, has been used experimentally in the lower animals to inhibit uterine contractions. Its use clinically has been reported in women who were aborting and in those with a history of habitual abortion. The apparent reason for its effectiveness in such cases is its antagonistic action to the oxytoxic action of pituitrin. We reported 1 a series of 19 cases, some of which were threatened abortions and some habitual abortions. These women had lost 69% of their babies in 38 previous pregnancies under ordinary management, while the same women lost only 26% of their babies when treated with progestin, but without morphine or other sedative.
To test out the effect of progestin on the contractions of the human uterus, a metreurynter bag was introduced into the uterus on the seventh day post partum and inflated sufficiently to stimulate weak uterine contractions, according to the method of Moir. 2 The bag was connected to a recording tambour by a long rubber tubing. The writing lever traced variations in uterine contractions on a slowly revolving drum. The effect of injections of estrin, progestin and pituitrin were studied.
The insertion of a bag into the human post partum uterus at the seventh day is very easily done without anesthesia, since the cervix is sufficiently patulous to admit the folded bag and yet has contracted sufficiently to prevent the bag from being extruded into the vagina after moderate inflation. At the seventh day post partum, sufficient involutionary changes have taken place to obliterate the lower uterine segment, hence we considered that the contractions measured were those of the upper uterine segment. Ivy, Hartman and Koff, 3 Adair and Davis, 4 and others have shown that the lower uterine segment has no contractile power. Young and older primiparae and multiparae were used.
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