THE USE OF PROSTAGLANDIN E-2 FOR CERVICAL RIPENING IN PATIENTS REQUIRING INDUCTION OF LABOR

A total of 290 women who required induction of labour for medical or o bstetric reasons were given single or multiple doses of prostaglandin E-2 gel (0.5 mg) to induce cervical ripening. Onset of labour occurred in 185 (63.8%) of the women treated with the gel, without any further treatment. The overall Caesarean section rate was 27.2% (79/290) and was significantly higher among those with an initially low Bishop scor e than in those with a higher initial score (34.7% versus 22.1%; P = 0 .025). Prostaglandin E-2 gel appears to be of considerable clinical be nefit, especially where no other options are available except Caesarea n section or a very long, difficult labour that may result in signific ant fetal distress.