A randomized clinical trial to compare the efficacy of different doses of intravaginal misoprostol with intracervical dinoprostone for cervical ripening and labor induction.

OBJECTIVES To compare the efficacy of 25 vs. 50 microg of intravaginal misoprostol vs. intracervical dinoprostone for cervical ripening and labor induction. MATERIALS AND METHODS 210 women with Bishop's score <6 were randomized into 3 groups of 70 each to receive 6 hourly doses of either 25 or 50 microg of intravaginal misoprostol or 0.5 mg intracervical dinoprostone to maximum of 3 doses and outcome parameters were compared. RESULTS Induction to vaginal delivery interval was significantly lower (p < 0.05) for 50 microg (13.8 +/- 6.62 hours) as compared to 25 microg misoprostol (16.4 +/- 7.34 hours) or dinoprostone group (16.3 +/- 7.49 hours). Maximum improvement (p < 0.05) in Bishop's score and minimum oxytocin requirement (p < 0.05) was seen with misoprostol 50 microg. No significant difference was observed for women delivering vaginally within 24 hours (93.8 vs. 89.7 vs. 85.4%), patients delivering after one dose (24.3 vs. 21.4 vs. 20%), cesarean deliveries, fetal outcome, complications like hyperstimulation and fetal heart abnormalities for the 50 vs. 25 microg misoprostol vs. dinoprostone group. CONCLUSION Intravaginal misoprostol 50 microg administered 6 hourly appears to be most effective as it has least induction to delivery time, has maximum improvement in Bishop's score, least oxytocin requirement without any increase in complication rate.