Vaginal misoprostol induction of labour: a Nigerian hospital experience.
We reviewed our experience with vaginal misoprostol induction of labour in 339 consecutive women with a live fetus and intact fetal membrane using 100 mcg 12-hourly until labour was established. The labours were monitored using the WHO partograph protocol. Two hundred and sixty-five women had a successful induction while 74 had an emergency caesarean section because of cephalopelvic disproportion (63.5%), fetal distress (14.9%), prolonged labour (12.2%), antepartum haemorrhage (6.8%) and other indications (2.8%). The induction delivery interval among the women who had successful induction ranged from 3 hours 42 minutes to 26 hours 15 minutes with a mean of 9 hours 23 minutes (SD 2 hours 41 minutes). Most (73.6%) of these patients delivered within 12 hours of starting induction, the majority (95.3%) requiring only 100 mcg to go into established labour. Complications recorded in this series include fetal distress in 32 (9.4%), postpartum haemorrhage in 23 (6.8%), hyperstimulation in six (1.8%), uterine rupture in one (0.3%), birth asphyxia in eight (2.5%), admission in neonatal intensive care ward in five (1.5%), neonatal death in one (0.3%) and maternal death in one (0.3%) patient. In conclusion, misoprostol was found not only to be efficacious but relatively safe in comparison to other methods of induction in use in our hospital.
Ezechi
O C
OC
Havana Specialist Hospital, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria. oezechi@yahoo.co.uk
Kalu
B K E
BK
Njokanma
F O
FO
Nwokoro
C A
CA
Okeke
G C E
GC
D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008499:Medical Records; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010120:Oxytocics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D010120:Oxytocics; D016595:Misoprostol