A series of terpolymers obtained from glycolide/L-lactide/epsilon-caprolactone were compression molded and allowed to degrade in a pH 7.4 phosphate buffer at 37 degrees C. Analytical techniques such as H-1-NMR, DSC, ESEM and SEC were used to monitor the degradation. Heterogeneous degradation was observed due to internal autocatalysis of carboxylic endgroups formed by ester bond cleavage. Nevertheless, the copolymers present various degradation behaviors depending on the initial composition. The PCL component appears the most resistant to degradation, and the PGA, the most degradable according to compositional changes. Terpolymers could crystallize during degradation even though they were amorphous initially. Degradation-induced increase of crystallinity was also found during hydrolysis. (c) 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.