misoprostol and Meconium-Aspiration-Syndrome

To determine the effect of oral Misoprostol in labour induction with respect to ease of administration and induction-to-delivery time interval.. Observational study.. Gynaecology/Obstetrics Department, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, from March to August 2006.. Women with live singleton pregnancy of > 37 weeks gestation with cephalic presentation, with an indication for induction of labour were inducted. Oral misoprostol 50 microg to 400 microg was given in divided doses at 4 hours interval upto a maximum of 4 doses, till labour was induced. Fetomaternal outcome and induction to delivering time interval in hours was noted.. In 6 months duration, 250 mothers were recruited for the study. The main indication for labour induction was post date pregnancy (52%) and oxytocin was given in 50% cases. The majority (96%) of mothers went into labour but 4% (9) had failed induction. The majority (73%, n=176/241) of mothers delivered vaginally, 99% being delivered in the first 24 hours. Mean induction-delivery interval was 11+/-2.7 hours. Sixty five (27%) had to undergo emergency lower segment caesarean section, the major indication being fetal distress (41.5%, n=27) and meconium staining of liquor (40%, n=26). Again, a majority (95%) of the babies were delivered with good Apgar score. However, 10.8% developed meconium aspiration syndrome. Early neonatal deaths occurred in 0.8% (2) cases. Maternal hyper stimulation was seen in 1 case (0.4%).. Oral misoprostol as an agent for labour induction in term pregnancy was easy to administer and the majority of women (99%) delivered in the first 24 hours.

Topics: Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal; Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Adult; Apgar Score; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Labor, Induced; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome; Misoprostol; Oxytocics; Oxytocin; Pakistan; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Trimester, Third; Prospective Studies; Prostaglandins; Term Birth; Time Factors; Young Adult

The objective of this work was to compare the efficacy of 50 and 100 microg of misoprostol administered intravaginally for cervical ripening and labor induction. Ninety-five patients were randomly assigned to receive 50 microg (n=48) or 100 microg (n=47) of misoprostol. The primary measures in this study were cesarean section rate, time from induction to delivery, need for oxytocin use, rate of uterine hyperstimulation and tachysystoles, proportion of fetal distress and neonatal Apgar score. The interval from first dose of prostaglandin to delivery was significantly shorter in the 100 ,g-group (p < 0.05). The use of oxytocin augmentation was significantly higher in the 50 microg-group (64.6% vs. 31.9%). There were 9 cases (18.8%) of tachysystole in the 50-microg group and 12 cases (25.5%) in the 100 microg-group (p NS). The cesarean section rate was double in the 100 microg-group and the difference was statically significant (p < 0.05). There was no report of uterine rupture. It can be concluded that 50 microg of misoprostol applied in the posterior vaginal fornix every 4 hours is an effective dosage for labor induction and has less adverse effects and complications than the 100 microg dose.

Topics: Administration, Intravaginal; Adolescent; Adult; Apgar Score; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Cervical Ripening; Cesarean Section; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Labor, Induced; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome; Misoprostol; Obstetric Labor Complications; Oxytocics; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Uterine Contraction

Our purpose was to compare the safety and efficacy of intravaginal misoprostol versus intracervical prostaglandin E2 (dinoprostone) gel for preinduction cervical ripening and induction of labor.. One hundred thirty-five patients with indications for induction of labor and unfavorable cervices were randomly assigned to receive either intravaginal misoprostol or intracervical dinoprostone. Fifty microgram tablets of misoprostol were placed in the posterior vaginal fornix every 3 hours for a maximum of six doses. Prostaglandin E2 in gel form, 0.5 mg, was placed into the endocervix every 6 hours for a maximum of three doses. Medication was not given after either spontaneous rupture of membranes or beginning of active labor.. Among 135 patients enrolled, 68 received misoprostol and 67 received dinoprostone. The average interval from start of induction to vaginal delivery was shorter in the misoprostol group (903.3 +/- 482.1 minutes) than in the dinoprostone group (1410.9 +/- 869.1 minutes) (p < 0.001). Oxytocin augmentation of labor occurred more often in the dinoprostone group (65.7%) than in the misoprostol group (33.8%) (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences between routes of delivery. Ten of the misoprostol-treated patients (14.7%) and 13 of the dinoprostone-treated patients (19.4%) had cesarean deliveries. There was a higher prevalence of tachysystole (six or more uterine contractions in a 10-minute window for two consecutive 10-minute periods) in the misoprostol group (36.7%) than in the dinoprostone group (11.9%) (p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in frequency of uterine hyperstimulation or hypertonus. There was a higher prevalence of meconium passage in the misoprostol group (27.9%) than in the dinoprostone group (10.5%) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in frequency of abnormal fetal heart rate tracings, 1- or 5-minute Apgar scores < 7, neonatal resuscitations, or admissions to the neonatal intensive care unit between the two groups.. Vaginally administered misoprostol is an effective agent for cervical ripening and induction of labor; however when given at this dosage, it is associated with a higher prevalence of tachysystole and meconium passage than is dinoprostone. Further studies to compare the safety of misoprostol to that of dinoprostone and to delineate an optimal dosing regimen for misoprostol are needed.

Topics: Adult; Cervix Uteri; Dinoprostone; Female; Heart Rate, Fetal; Humans; Hyperbilirubinemia; Infant, Newborn; Labor, Induced; Meconium Aspiration Syndrome; Misoprostol; Oxytocin; Pregnancy; Time Factors