RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and the safety of two different dose regimens of intravaginal misoprostol for labor induction. METHODS: Sixty-seven consenting women with maternal or fetal indication for labor and no prior cesarean delivery were randomly assigned to receive either vaginal misoprostol 100 microgram or 50 microgram every 4 hours with maximum 6 doses. Uterine contraction, abnormal fetal heart rate pattern, mean time from induction to vaginal delivery, apgar score, and meconium staining were compaired. RESULTS: In two groups, dermographic characteristics and the average number of doses of misoprostol used were simliar. The group who were administered 100 ug misprostol showed shorter average time interval from induction to delivery. Both groups showed similiar result in terms of tachysystole, abnormal fetal heart rate tracing, meconium passage, fetal weight, low 1-min and 5-min Apgar scores, and admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. CONCLUSION: The optimal misoprostol dose to induce labor in term pregnant women has not been established. We also could not find any difference between two groups (100 microgram or 50 microgram every 4 hours) in time interval from induction to delivery and neonatal outcomes.