Oral versus vaginal misoprostol for induction of labour at term

ABSTRACT

To compare the safety and efficacy of misoprostol through oral and vaginal routes for induction of labor at term. Cross-sectional comparative study. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Ward-9, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre Karachi, from October 2004 to March 2005. Two hundred term patients meeting inclusion criteria for induction of labour were selected using non-probability convenient sampling technique. They were allocated to two groups to receive misoprostol 50 micrograms [micro g] either by vaginal or oral routes. The dose was repeated at an interval of 4 hours till Bishop score improved or need arose for intervention. Results were analyzed through software SPSS version 10.0. Mean induction-delivery [I-D] interval were similar in both groups; vaginal [9.09 +/- 3.4 hours] and oral [9.81 +/- 4.43 hours p=0.33]. Oxytocin augmentation and analgesia requirement were also not statistically significant [p=0.5]. Only one patient had uterine hyper stimulation in the vaginal group. There was no significant difference between the groups with regard to caesarean section rate, maternal complications like post partum haemorrhage [PPH] and neonatal outcome. Oral misoprostol has the potential to induce labour as safely and effectively as its vaginal analogue