Abstract
This prospective double blind study was undertaken to compare the safety and efficacy of oral vs vaginal misoprostol in equivalent doses (50 μg) for induction of labour. A total of 128 term pregnancies with indication for induction of labour were allocated to two groups to receive 50 μg misoprostol orally or vaginally, every 4 h until adequate contractions were achieved or a maximum of 200 μg dose. Induction to delivery interval was significantly shorter in the vaginal group compared with the oral group (14.6 h vs 22.5 h; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups with respect to mode of delivery, neonatal outcome and maternal side-effects. However, the incidence of abnormal contractility pattern was more common in the vaginal group (10/68, 14.6%) as compared with the oral group (4/60, 6.6%) (p = 0.146).
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.