Cervical ripening with PGE-2 gel

Canadian Medical Association Journal 1996; 155: 200-201

Source: Darroca RJA, Buttino L Jr, Miller J et al: Prostaglandin E-2 gel for cervical ripening in patients with an indication for delivery. Obstet Gynecol 1996; 87: 228-230

To determine the efficacy and safety of ripening the cervix with prostaglandin (PG) E-2 gel before inducing labour in women at or before 41 weeks' gestation, researchers in Ohio randomly assigned 118 women to treatment with intracervical PGE-2 gel (1 mg PGE2 in 3 mL of K-Y Jelly) or a placebo gel before standard oxytocin induction. Compared with the placebo group, the treatment group required significantly less oxytocin to establish progressive labour and had a significantly lower rate of cesarean delivery. There were no significant differences between the groups in Bishop score or in the interval between gel insertion and complete cervical dilation. No adverse maternal or neonatal effects were found in the treatment group.

| CMAJ July 15, 1996 (vol 155, no 2) | International digest |