Mieke L G Ten Eikelder, Katrien Oude Rengerink, Marta Jozwiak, Jan W de Leeuw, Irene M de Graaf, Mariëlle G van Pampus, Marloes Holswilder, Martijn A Oudijk, Gert-Jan van Baaren, Paula J M Pernet, Caroline Bax, Gijs A van Unnik, Gratia Martens, Martina Porath, Huib van Vliet, Robbert J P Rijnders, A Hanneke Feitsma, Frans J M E Roumen, Aren J van Loon, Hans Versendaal, Martin J N Weinans, Mallory Woiski, Erik van Beek, Brenda Hermsen, Ben Willem Mol, Kitty W M Bloemenkamp
BACKGROUND: Labour is induced in 20-30% of all pregnancies. In women with an unfavourable cervix, both oral misoprostol and Foley catheter are equally effective compared with dinoprostone in establishing vaginal birth, but each has a better safety profile. We did a trial to directly compare oral misoprostol with Foley catheter alone. METHODS: We did an open-label randomised non-inferiority trial in 29 hospitals in the Netherlands. Women with a term singleton pregnancy in cephalic presentation, an unfavourable cervix, intact membranes, and without a previous caesarean section who were scheduled for induction of labour were randomly allocated to cervical ripening with 50 μg oral misoprostol once every 4 h or to a 30 mL transcervical Foley catheter...
April 16, 2016: Lancet