BMJ  2006;332 (4 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7540.0

Oral misoprostol is safe for induction of labour at term

For inducing labouroral misoprostol solution does not lead to poorer health outcomes than vaginal prostaglandin gel. In a double blind, placebo controlled trial, Dodd and colleagues (p 509) randomised 741 women whose attending obstetrician had decided to induce labour (at 36+6 weeks' gestation or greater) either to oral misoprostol—a prostaglandin E1 analogue—or to vaginal prostaglandin. They found that the two groups had similar rates of caesarean section, vaginal birth not achieved in 24 hours, and uterine hyperstimulation with fetal heart rate changes—but the women preferred oral treatment.


Figure 1
 Credit: BSIP, VILLAREAL/SPL

 


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Relevant Article

Oral misoprostol for induction of labour at term: randomised controlled trial
Jodie M Dodd, Caroline A Crowther, and Jeffrey S Robinson
BMJ 2006 332: 509-513. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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