Net economic benefit of a manufactured dinoprostone gel for pre-induction cervical ripening.
The purpose of this study was to estimate the net economic cost or benefit of pretreating women who have a medical indication for induction of labour, and an unprepared (unripe) cervix, with a manufactured dinoprostone (prostaglandin E 2) gel.  Findings of a meta-analysis of the results of 3 large, randomised clinical trials were employed in the construction of a decision tree used in the economic analysis.  For the intended target population, the primary clinical and economic outcomes of gel pretreatment were shortening of the treatment-to-delivery interval, an increase in the percentage of patients achieving labour and a decrease in the percentage of patients requiring delivery by caesarean section. Application of cost factors associated with these and other variables led to a finding of net savings associated with use of the dinoprostone gel pretreatment, compared with no gel pretreatment, of $US159 to $US214 (1993 prices) per treated patient, corresponding to the maximum and minimum duration of the pre-induction treatment period, respectively.
Hass
S L
SL
Worldwide Health Care Economics and Policy Research, The Upjohn Company, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Lucas
M J
MJ
D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000187:drug effects; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003663:Decision Trees; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D016896:Treatment Outcome