Comparative study of oral PGE 1 and intracervical PGE2 gel for pre-induction cervical ripening in prelabour rupture of membranes >37 weeks gestational age
Background: Active induction of labour in prelabour rupture of membranes resulted in a lower risk of maternal and fetal sepsis as compared to conservative management. Pre-induction cervical ripening helps in successful induction of labour.in this study we have compared the efficacy of low dose 25 mcg oral misoprostol versus intracervical PGE2 gel for cervical ripening in term PROM patients.Methods: Women with pregnancies between 37 and 41 weeks gestational age presenting with PROM at term and a Bishop score of 4 or less were randomly assigned to receive either a 25-mcg oral misoprostol every 4-hourly interval or 3 applications of intracervical PGE2 gel at a 6-hour interval for effective cervical ripening. Oxytocin was initiated if labor had not started after 6 hours of last effective dose of prostaglandin.Results: Fifty-three women (75.73%) (n = 70) in the oral misoprostol group with 2 doses, 4 hours apart had successful cervical ripening within 8 hours in comparison to sixty-two women (88.58%) (n = 70) in the intracervical PGE2 gel group with 2 doses, 6 hrs apart approximately 12 hrs for successful ripening. (p = 0.021). Oral misoprostol group needed shorter mean duration interval for the Bishop score 6 than intracervical PGE2 gel group, 7.84±3.64 hours and 9.39±4.20 hours respectively (p = 0.022). Similarly, the mean time duration interval from ruptured membranes to vaginal delivery in oral misoprostol was shorter i.e. 12.60±3.78 hours versus 14.66±4.08 hours (p = 0.005).Conclusions: Low dose 25 mcg oral misoprostol is a safe, efficacious and better tolerated alternative to intracervical PGE2 gel for pre-induction cervical ripening in especially in PROM patients at term
