Comparative efficacy of misoprostol and oxytocin as labor preinduction agents: a prospective randomized trial

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of misoprostol and oxytocin for induction of labor. In this prospective and randomized controlled trial one hundred twenty women with an unfavorable cervix who underwent labor induction were assigned to receive either intravenous high dose oxytocin [6 mlu/min] or intravaginal misoprostol 50 |ug every 6 hours for two doses. Twelve hours later if labor was not established oxytocin induction was initiated per standardized protocol [3 mlu/min]. Mean Bishop Score change [ +/- SD] over the initial 12 hours interval was significantly greater in the misoprostol group [11.98 +/- 1.55] compared with the oxytocin group [8.83 +/- 2.61]. There were no statistically significant differences in the median duration of labor [449 +/- 261.1 min, 514.5 +/- 288.5 min, respectively; P = 0.22], the mode of delivery or the adverse maternal /neonatal out come among the two groups. Use of misoprostol as a labor preinduction / labor induction agent results in greater Bishop score changes compared with high dose oxytocin and both of them are comparable