The authors have tried "priming" the cervix by the administration of a single extraamniotic dose of a F2-alpha prostaglandin gel. This is shown to decrease the risks of trauma associated, with the often difficult, instrumental dilatation of a primigravid cervix at the time of the termination of a 9-12 week pregnancy. The dilatation observed at curettage after this single dose was on the average 10.5 mm +/- 2.2 mm. This is very significantly (p < 0,0001) different from that of patients who received a placebo gel, in which the average diameter of the cervical canal was 4.5 mm +/- 1.0 mm. Constituting a sure and safe method this single priming dose is only applicable when the pain, from the uterine contractions that it produces, can be controlled in an efficient manner. The comparisons made concerning this point, in this paper, show that it can only be done by the use of a continuous epidural anaesthetic. This obviates the necessity of another anaesthetic at the time of aspiration-curettage.