Comparison of vaginal misoprostol tablet with oxytocin infusion for induction of labor in term pregnancy

BACKGROUND: Recently elective inductions of labor at term have increased dramatically which may be in part due to the patient and clinicians desire to arrange a convenient time for delivery. Termination of pregnancy before emerging labor pain is an important concern. Because induction of labor is one of the most commonly performed obstetrical procedures clinicians all over the world investigate to find a safe technique for mother and neonate. Labor induction with PGE1 is one of the selections. Our objective was to compare vaginal delivery, maternal, fetal, and neonatal complications in the induction of labor with oxytocin and misoprostol. METHODS: we selected one hundred and eight cases with term pregnancy, not in active labor, singleton pregnancy, vertex presentation, normal fetal heart rate reactivity and Bishop score of <6, who consented to participate in the study. Fifty-four of the cases were included in misoprostol group and a 100 mu g misoprostol tablet was placed in the posterior vaginal fornix. Another 54 cases were included in the oxytocin group. Labor characteristics, maternal and neonatal outcome were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean duration of induction to true labor pains (p = 0.001) and induction to labor (p < 0.001) in the misoprostol group was significantly shorter than the oxytocin group. Rate of cesarean section and maternal and neonatal complications were equal between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: It is effective, safe, and economic to use 100 mu g misoprostol vaginally in term pregnancy with low Bishop scores.