PREVENTION OF BREAST PAIN AND MILK SECRETION WITH BROMOCRIPTINE AFTER SECOND-TRIMESTER ABORTION

Within 24 hours after abortion, 62 patients with a mean gestational age of 19 weeks, who had either induced (n = 50) or spontaneous (n = 12) abortions were randomly allocated to three groups: Group 1, bromocriptine 2.5 mg twice daily for 2 weeks; Group 2, placebo tablets 1 tablet twice daily for 2 weeks; Group 3, no treatment. Fifty-two patients completed the study (bromocriptine n = 18, placebo n = 18 and no treatment n = 16). Placebo had no apparent influence on breast symptoms. In both the placebo group and the untreated group, breast pain and milk secretion peaked on days 3 to 7, and milk secretion often continued for 3 weeks. Only 3/34 (9%) of untreated and placebo treated patients were free of breast symptoms. Compared with placebo, bromocriptine caused a significant reduction in the objective assessment score of breast tenderness (p < 0.05) and milk secretion (p < 0.011, in serum prolactin (PRL) (p < 0.001) and in the subjective assessment score of breast pain (p < 0.01) and milk secretion (p c 0.01). Alleviation of breast pain and prevention of milk secretion appears to be indicated after second-trimester abortion, and treatment with bromocriptine is efficacious.