TERM LABOR INDUCTION BY PROSTAGLANDIN (PG)-E2 ORAL-ADMINISTRATION PRIOR TO AMNIOTOMY

Term labor induction was attempted by testing, prior to amniotomy, the uterine reactivity to the oral administration of twice one tablet of 0.5 mg PGE2 at 1 h interval. In presence of a positive test (i.e., in case of any progress in the Bishop score and/or of occurrence of at least 10 contractions in 1 h), labor induction was thereafter continued by low amniotomy, further oxytocic treatment was given only if required by dyskinetic labor progress. Out of 70 cases (44% of nulliparous and 56% of multiparous) with a Bishop score at least equal to 3, 59 patients exhibited a positive test and were thus eventually delivered. After amniotomy, 47% of these cases did not require any further drug administration; since the protocol did not allow the administration of total doses of PGE2 greater than 3.0 or 3.5 mg, 4 patients (7%) required oxytocin. Delivery was achieved in all cases within 12 h of drug administration. Maternal side-effects were very infrequent (6%); no uterine hypertony was recorded in any case and the Apgar scores were equal to or greater than 7 in 92% of the cases. © 1979.