title: A randomised double-blind study of vaginal misoprostol vs dinoprostone for cervical ripening and labour induction in prolonged pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dinoprostone, is presently used in our standard protocol for cervical ripening and labour induction. In search for a cheaper alternative, misoprostol has been found to be a good substitute. In view of the potential saving it might offer, we set out to test its efficacy against the standard dinoprostone.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomised double-blind study involving 50 pregnant women with prolonged pregnancy, treated at a government hospital in Malaysia, was carried out. Two hundred micrograms of intravaginal misoprostol were compared with 3 mg of dinoprostone in each treatment arm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the misoprostol group, labour was successfully established in 92% of cases compared to 64% in the dinoprostone group (p = 0.04). The induction-delivery interval was shorter with more women delivering within 12 hours (72% vs 28%, p = 0.047). Maternal and neonatal complications, mode of delivery, the need for oxytocin and pethidine were quite similar statistically. Polysystole was more frequent (28% vs 12%, p = 0.28) in the misoprostol group but it was not associated with fetal distress.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study showed that misoprostol was a more effective drug in labour induction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Kuantan General Hospital, Kuantan Pahang, Malaysia.
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000328:Adult; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010120:Oxytocics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011273:Pregnancy, Prolonged / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014621:Vagina
chemical_list: D010120:Oxytocics; D016595:Misoprostol; D015232:Dinoprostone