Ru 486 Misconceptions Myths and Morals - ressourcesfeministes

RU 486by experimental data obtained from the research laboratoriesof Schering in Berlin. Schering has advised us that thecompany has no present intention to market chemicals forabortion purpose, at least not in the United States, Canadaor Mexico. However research and development of theSchering antiprogestin substance is continuing for the‘treatment of illnesses such as breast cancer andendometriosis’ (pers. comm. to LD and RK). 6 This, ofcourse, does not rule out the future re-entry of the ZKanalogues into the abortifacient market.Epostane, another antiprogesterone, was originallydeveloped for abortion purposes, but at present itscommercial marketing has been suspended. It is a syntheticsteroid which acts to block the enzyme 3ß-hydroxysteroiddehydrogenase and thereby inhibit progesterone synthesisto induce abortion. The physiological and clinical effects ofepostane have been determined in first-trimester pregnancytermination procedures carried out in Australia, theNetherlands, Sweden and the UK.Results from the Netherlands experience of epostane(Crooij et al., 1988) were featured in the Digest section ofPerspectives in Family Planning (September/October, 1988:241)under a headline which is now exceedingly familiar, ‘Newtreatment to end early pregnancy found to be safe and effective’.Here the effective complete abortion rate was somewhat higher,84 per cent, than that achieved in other epostane studies. Yet,in what was lauded to be safe and effective, two women (4%),of the mere 50 treated, suffered serious complications thatnecessitated a blood transfusion for one, and dilatation andcurettage on day 20 for the other. A further eight women (16%)did not respond to treatment, (referred to as ‘non-responders’),and subsequently underwent dilatation and curettage ‘withoutcomplication’. From a woman’s perspective these ineffectiveattempts to induce abortion are in themselves seriouscomplications. As such, failed treatments increase to emerge,one ‘perfectly timed’ to counter the announcement of a young108