The use of breast stimulation to ripen the cervix in term pregnancies

Abstract

Induction of labor is frequently a matter of medical or obstetric necessity. Patients with worsening maternal or fetal problems often have an unfavorable cervix which may preclude successful induction of labor. In a blind, randomized, controlled trial of breast stimulation to ripen the cervix at term, it was found that breast stimulation was associated with a 45% incidence of spontaneous labor. When the patient did not go into labor, there was a mean change of 2.4 points in the Bishop score. Both findings are highly significant when compared with the control group.