PIP: The analgesic efficacy of naproxen sodium was compared with that of a placebo or of no drug in 137 women undergoing 1st-trimester elective abortion. 46 women received a single 550 mg dose of naproxen sodium 1-2 hours prior to abortion, 46 women received a placebo, and 45 women received no drug. Abortions were performed by means of suction curettage after anesthesia was produced by paracervical block with 1% lidocaine solution, and study subjects were asked to assess their pain on a scale from 0-99 at the most painful moment during abortion and at 15 and 30 minutes after abortion. Pain scores reported by naproxen sodium patients were consistently lower than those reported by placebo and no drug patients, and the difference between average pain scores of naproxen sodium patients and placebo patients was statistically significant at each evalution. Pain scores of untreated patients were comparable to those of placebo patients. Multiparous and multigravid women reported lower pain scores than women who had never been pregnant before. There were no apparent side effects of naproxen sodium treatment. These findings indicate that naproxen sodim can provide effective analgesia for pain caused by uterine contractions during and after suction abortion. Its terapeutic effectiveness may be enhanced by administration 1-2 hours prior to he abortion procedure so that peak plasma concentrations are attained.