title: Vaginal misoprostol and cervical ripening balloon for induction of labor in late-term pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to compare vaginal misoprostol with the Cook cervical ripening balloon (CCRB) for induction of labor in late-term nulliparous women.
  
  
  METHODS
  This open, quasi-experimental, prospective study included 109 nulliparous women with late-term pregnancies and Bishop scores < 7. Fifty-five women were allocated to receive vaginal misoprostol 25 mcg and 54 received the CCRB to induce labor. The primary outcome was the time until delivery. Secondary outcomes included time to the onset of labor and obstetric and perinatal outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women in the misoprostol group experienced shorter time until delivery (25.41 h vs 31.26 h; P < 0.01) and in a greater percentage gave birth within the first 24 h. Time to active stage of labor was 19.5 h and 23.8 h (P < 0.01) for misoprostol and the CCRB, respectively. There were no differences in the rates of cesarean section or post-partum anemia. Additionally, there were no differences in rates of tachysystolia, intrapartum fever, or meconium. Perinatal outcomes, post-partum pH, Apgar scores, and neonatal admissions were similar in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Misoprostol 25 mcg reduces labor induction time compared with the CCRB with similar safety in late-term pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duro Gómez
authors.affiliation: Clínica Universidad de los Andes, Santiago de Chile, Chile.
authors.forename: María Fernanda
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Garrido Oyarzún
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana Belén
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Rodríguez Marín
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: Antonio Jesús
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: de la Torre González
authors.affiliation: Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, Spain.
authors.forename: José Eduardo
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Arjona Berral
authors.affiliation: Clinic Institute of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology, Hospital Clinic-Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Camil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castelo-Branco
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications; D020070:Cervical Ripening; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods*; D016595:Misoprostol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016595:Misoprostol
keywords: balloon catheter; cervical ripening; labor induction; misoprostol; perinatal outcomes