Comparison of 25 and 50 microg vaginally administered misoprostol for preinduction of cervical ripening and labor induction.

Abstract

Our purpose was to compare the efficacy of 25 lug and 50 mug intravaginally administered misoprostol tablets for cervical ripening and labor induction. Either 25-mug (n: 58) or 50-mug (n: 56) misoprostol tablets were randomly administered intravaginally to 114 subjects with an unripe cervix for labor induction. The physician was blinded to the medication. Intravaginal misoprostol was given every 4 h until the onset of labor. The mean Bishop score before misoprostol administration was 2.1 +/- 1.6 in the 25-mug group and 2.0 +/- 1.4 in the 50-mug group (p > 0.05). With the 25-mug dose the time until delivery was significantly longer (991.2 +/- 514.4 min vs. 703.12 +/- 432.6 min in the 50-mug group). The use of oxytocin augmentation was significantly higher in the 25-mug group (63.8%) than the 50-mug group (32.1%; p 0.05). Overall, in the 25mug group more women achieved vaginal delivery (79.3 vs. 60.7%; p 0.05). One patient in the 25-mug group suffered a ruptured uterus. Intravaginal administration of 25 lug of misoprostol is a clinically effective labor induction regimen and has the least adverse effects and complications. Copyright (C) 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel.