You have full text access to this OnlineOpen article

A randomised comparison of oral misoprostol and vaginal prostaglandin E2 tablets in labour induction at term

  1. A. Shetty1,*,
  2. I. Livingstone2,
  3. S. Acharya1,
  4. P. Rice1,
  5. P. Danielian1,
  6. A. Templeton1

Article first published online: 8 MAR 2004

DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00107.x

Issue

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Volume 111, Issue 5, pages 436–440, May 2004

Additional Information

How to Cite

Shetty, A., Livingstone, I., Acharya, S., Rice, P., Danielian, P. and Templeton, A. (2004), A randomised comparison of oral misoprostol and vaginal prostaglandin E2 tablets in labour induction at term. BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, 111: 436–440. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00107.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, UK

  2. 2

    University of Aberdeen Medical School, UK

* *Dr A. Shetty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 19 APR 2004
  2. Article first published online: 8 MAR 2004

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (60K)

Objective  To compare the efficacy of 100 μg of oral misoprostol with 3 mg prostaglandin E2 vaginal tablets in term labour induction.

Design  A non-blinded, randomised, controlled trial.

Setting  A tertiary level, teaching Scottish Hospital.

Population  Two hundred women at term with indications for labour induction and modified Bishop's cervical score of less than 8.

Methods  The women were randomly allocated to receive either 100 μg of misoprostol orally (which could be repeated 4 hourly to a maximum of five doses if indicated), or a 3 mg tablet of prostaglandin E2 vaginally (which could be repeated in 6 hours, according to routine departmental protocol).

Main outcome measure  The number delivering vaginally within 24 hours of the induction.

Results  Seventy-five women delivered vaginally in the misoprostol group and 73 in the PGE2 group. Of these, 50.7% in the misoprostol group and 54.8% in the PGE2 group delivered within 24 hours of the induction (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.7 to 1.3). More women in the misoprostol group were given oxytocin, but this was not statistically significant (60%vs 47%, RR 1.3, 95% CI 0.98 to 1.7). Two women in the misoprostol group had uterine hyperstimulation. The neonatal outcomes were not significantly different in the two groups. There was a £1100 saving on direct drug costs in the misoprostol group.

Conclusions  Oral misoprostol (100 μg) has similar efficacy to vaginal PGE2 tablets, and may be an option to consider for term labour induction.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (60K)