Oestradiol applied locally to ripen the unfavourable cervix

The unfavourable cervix in late pregnancy presents a difficult clinical problem if labour has to be induced. In an attempt to improve the outcome, the effect of applying oestradiol directly to the cervix the day before planned induction was investigated. Two groups of twenty-five primigravidas were studied, one group receiving 150 mg oestradiol in viscous gel and the other the viscous gel alone. There was a significant increase in cervical ripeness in the group who received oestradiol and a reduction both in the length of the labour and in the need to resort to caesarean section.