Induction of labor with intravenous prostaglandin

The present study utilizing an open label design evaluates the efficacy of prostaglandin F2alpha in the induction of labor in normal and complicated primigravid and multigravid pregnancies and in particular in patients with an unripe cervix. The results reveal that labor was successfully induced in 33 of 38 (86.8 per cent) normal patients in the 0 to 5 Bishop group and in 17 of 18 (94.4 per cent) in the 6 to 13 Bishop group. In the complicated pregnancies (abnormal group) 26 to 28 (84 per cent) in the 0 to 5 Bishop group and 13 of 13 (100 per cent) in the 6 to 13 Bishop group were successfully induced. There were two cesarean sections for obstetric indications. Hypertonus occurred only four times and responded to dose reduction. The most common problem--nausea and vomiting (29 per cent)--was easily controlled. Prostaglandin when judiciously used appears to be a safe drug for the induction of labor at term in normal as well as complicated pregnancies and in patients with low inducibility scores.