Diabetes mellitus: an independent predictor of duration of prostaglandin labor induction.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to analyze the association of diabetes mellitus with progress and outcomes of prostaglandin (PG) labor induction using a retrievable vaginal insert.

STUDY DESIGN: This is a secondary analysis of data collected during the Misoprostol Vaginal Insert Trial (Miso-Obs-004), a multicenter, double-blind, randomized controlled trial of women undergoing induction of labor with PGs. The duration, characteristics and outcomes of labor were compared in women with and without diabetes. Multivariable regression analysis was performed on all outcomes of interest, adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics.

RESULTS: There were 122 women with diabetes within the sample of 1275 women who delivered during their first admission. The time to reach active labor was significantly prolonged among women with diabetes compared with those without (22.0±13.0 vs 18.5±11.1, P=0.008) as was the time to delivery (30.2±15.0 vs 26.0±12.6, P=0.004). Fewer women with diabetes delivered within 36 h (adjusted odds ratio: 0.41, 95% confidence interval: 0.26 to 0.66, P=0.0003) and 48 h (adjusted odds ratio: 0.36, 95% confidence interval: 0.19 to 0.71, P=0.004). These relationships were significant after a multivariate regression analysis of baseline characteristics that adjusted for age, race, parity, body mass index, baseline modified Bishop Score, gestational age at induction and treatment group allocation.

CONCLUSION: After PG labor induction, women with diabetes took longer to reach active labor and to deliver. We emphasize that this result comes from a secondary analysis and needs confirmation with additional studies.