title: Oral misoprostol (100 microg) versus vaginal misoprostol (25 microg) in term labor induction: a randomized comparison.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the efficacy of vaginal misoprostol (25 microg) to oral misoprostol (100 microg) in labor induction at term.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and one women at term, with indications for labor induction and cervical Bishop's scores of less than 8, were randomly assigned to receive 100 microg of oral misoprostol or 25 microg vaginal misoprostol after random allocation. This could be repeated every 4 h to a maximum of five doses. The number delivering vaginally within 24 h of the induction was the main outcome measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of those who delivered vaginally (74.5% in the oral group vs. 72% in the vaginal group), significantly fewer women delivered within 24 h of induction in the oral group (42.1% vs. 72.2%, RR 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9), with more women receiving more than one dose (45.7% vs. 16.7%, RR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2-6.0). More women in the oral group received oxytocin (68.6% vs. 44%, RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.2), and the induction to delivery interval was shorter in the vaginal group, although this was not statistically significant [28.9 h (SD 20.2) vs. 20.6 h (SD 16.1), mean difference - 8.3 h, 95% CI - 16.8 to 0.2]. There were no differences in the modes of delivery, uterine hyperstimulation rates or in the neonatal outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vaginal misoprostol in its currently recommended dose of 25 microg seems to be more efficacious than the 100 microg oral dose.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK. a.shetty@abdn.ac.uk
authors: Ashalatha
authors: A
authors: Shetty
authors: Iona
authors: I
authors: Livingstone
authors: Santanu
authors: S
authors: Acharya
authors: Pat
authors: P
authors: Rice
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Danielian
authors: Allan
authors: A
authors: Templeton
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001682:Biological Availability; D020070:Cervical Ripening / Q000187:drug effects*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D012016:Reference Values; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D016595:Misoprostol