A COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF VAGINAL MISOPROSTOL AND INTRAVENOUS OXYTOCIN FOR INDUCTION OF LABOR

Fifty-two women who had labour induced by intravenous oxytocin were co mpared with 404 women in whom labour was induced by vaginal misoprosto l (50-150 mu g). The induction-to-delivery intervals in the oxytocin a nd misoprostol groups, respectively, had the following durations. With Bishop's score <6, 24.3 vs. 14.4 h (p = 0.002), with Bishop's score g reater than or equal to 6, 10.5 vs. 7.6 h (p = 0.02), with ruptured me mbranes, 8.8 vs. 8.5 h (p = 0.83), and with intact membranes, 19.6 vs. 13.1 h (p = 0.005). The Caesarean delivery rate was 17.3% in the oxyt ocin group and 8.7% in the misoprostol group (p = 0.09). Maternal comp lications were few and drug side effects rare. It is concluded that va ginal misoprostol is a valuable and cost-effective alternative to intr avenous oxytocin infusion for induction of labour.