Prematurity affects 11% of the births and is the main cause of infant mortality. On the opposite case, the failure of induction of parturition in the case of delayed spontaneous birth is associated with fetal suffering. Both conditions are associated with precocious and/or delayed cervical ripening. Quantitative and objective information about the temporal evolution of the cervical ripening may...

OBJECTIVE To analyze published randomized trials assessing the safety and efficacy of misoprostol for cervical ripening and labor induction. DATA SOURCES We supplemented a search of entries in electronic data bases with references cited in original studies and review articles to identify randomized trials of misoprostol for cervical ripening and labor induction. METHODS OF STUDY SELECTION T...

BACKGROUND Various methods are used for cervical ripening during the induction of labour. It is still debatable which of these methods of treatment is optimal. OBJECTIVE To compare treatment techniques for cervical ripening in the induction of labour. SEARCH STRATEGY Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Collaboration databases were searched using the keywords 'cervical ripening', 'labour induc...

BACKGROUND Cervical ripening resembles an inflammatory reaction. Estrogens induce leukocyte migration into tissue and factors promoting cervical remodeling and labor, although the mechanisms are only partially known. The aim of this study was to investigate whether plasma membrane receptor mediated pathways, known to be activated by estrogens and proinflammatory compounds, are involved in cervi...

An extensive remodelling process, referred to as cervical ripening, takes place in the cervical tissue during pregnancy and labour. It is recognized as softening and dilation of the cervical canal, and starts as a slow process during pregnancy, becoming rapid close to partum. In this study we focus on cytokines as possible mediators of this final remodelling. mRNA levels for interleukin (IL)-8,...

Background: The objectives of the study were to Evaluation of isosorbide mononitrate for cervical ripening prior to induction of labor at term pregnancy in an outpatient. Methods: A randomized, placebo controlled prospective study was conducted with 120 women with term pregnancies and unfavorable cervices who self-administered vaginally either 2, 40-mg tablets of IMN or pyridoxine as placebo pr...

INTRODUCTION Induction of labour for prolonged pregnancies (PP) when the cervix is unfavourable is a challenging situation. Cervical ripening by pharmacological or mechanical techniques before oxytocin administration is used to increase the likelihood of vaginal delivery. Both techniques are equally effective in achieving vaginal delivery but excessive uterine activity, which induces fetal hear...

BACKGROUND One in four Australian births are induced. If cervical ripening using a prostaglandin is required, a pre-labour overnight hospitalisation and separation from family and support companions is necessary. Recent evidence shows that balloon catheter cervical ripening is just as effective as prostaglandins, but does not cause uterine stimulation. For women with low risk pregnancies, this ...

OBJECTIVE To study the effectiveness and morbidity of adding hygroscopic cervical dilators to prostaglandin gel for cervical ripening and labor induction. STUDY DESIGN Patients of at least 34 weeks' gestation with a medical indication for induction of labor and with a modified Bishop score of 5 or less were randomized to receive either prostaglandin gel or prostaglandin gel with hygroscopic c...

Hyaluronan (HA) a glycosaminoglycan with high affinity for water molecules stimulates local inflammatory reactions. Parturition causes a dramatic increase in the amount of HA fragments in the uterine cervix, thereby contributing to a rapid softening as well as opening of the cervical canal, i.e. cervical ripening. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of cyclic diste...