Preinduction priming with oral prostaglandin E2

Abstract

A double-blind study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of prostaglandin E2 as a means for improving the prelabor pelvic conditions preparatory to induction of labor at term in 30 patients with unfavorable Bishop scores of less than 6. An interval of priming was followed after 8 to 12 hours by induction with oxytocin infusion. No meaningful differences were found in index cases as compared with controls to verify that PGE2 has any priming or enhancing effect under the conditions of the investigation.

PIP: A clinical experiment was undertaken to assess the usefulness of PG(prostaglandin)E2 in priming cervixes with unfavorable Bishop scores prior to induction of term delivery. The study, which used 30 pregnant woman at term, was a double-blind study employing placebo or .5 mg PGE2 tablets in a dosage schedule of 2 tablets at 3-hourly intervals for 3 doses. During the priming, vital signs, fetal heart rate, and uterine contractility were monitored. Between 8-12 hours following the last dose of medication or placebo, intravenous oxytocin infusion was begin for labor induction. Oxytocin infusion failed to induce labor in 3 of the primed and 4 of the unprimed patients. Fetal heart rates were altered in 1 baby from each group; otherwise, all babies in both groups did well. There was no difference between the 2 groups as to the dosage of oxytocin required to induce active labor or to effect delivery. The duration of oxytocin stimulation and the interval from onset of priming to delivery were also comparable in the 2 groups. The study results show that PGE2 does not have appreciable priming benefits when unfavorable prelabor pelvic conditions prevail.