Feticidal injection of digoxin before dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion has become common in recent years and is now a standard policy at some abortion clinics. The procedure entails amniocentesis and administration of digoxin into the amniotic fluid or fetus before uterine evacuation. Two new reports in this issue of the journal present conflicting views about its safety [1,2]. An invasive procedure, amniocentesis causes pain and incurs cost, inconvenience and risk. Hence, clear justification is needed for it to be used routinely. Several rationales, discussed below, have been invoked for digoxin injection before D&E.
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