Extra-amniotic saline infusion plus intracervical foley catheter balloon versus intravaginal misoprostol for inducing labour in patients ith intrauterine fetal death

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out on 106 pregnant women with a late fetal death to assess the effectiveness of extra-amniotic saline infusion plus intracervical Foley catheter balloon with intravaginal misoprostol in ripening of the cervix and inducing labour. The patients were randomly assigned into two groups Group one included 52 patients received a dose of 50 ug intravaginally and group two included 54 patients r and omized to extra-amniotic saline infusion [EASI]. A size of 18 Foley catheter was inserted through the cervix. The results have shown that there were no significant differences in maternal age, parity, gestational age or indications for the induction between the two groups. EASI group required augmentation with syntocinon more frequently than intravaginal misoprostol group [22.2%] compared with 7.7% [RR 3.2, 95% CI 1.6-6.5]. The induction-to- delivery interval [ +/- SD in EASI group was 13 +/- 5.3 hours which was significantly shorter than the intravaginal misoprostol group, 15.3 +/- 5.3 hours. The extra-amniotic saline infusion group had a significantly lower initial dilatation; however, at eight hours, this group was significantly more dilated than that of misoprostol group [22 vs 7], respectively, with a mean final bishop score of 6.7 +/- 2.1 vs 5.4 +/- 2.1 in the EASI and misoprostol group, respectively. Maternal morbidity was more or less similar in extra-amniotic saline infusion group and intravaginal misoprostol group