Comparison of Vaginal Misoprostol and Foley Catheter for Cervical Ripening

OBJECTIVES To compare the efficacy and safety of intravaginal misoprostol with transcervical foley catheter for cervical ripening. MATERIAL AND METHODS The present study was a prospective study and was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in collaboration with the Department of Paediatrics, J. N. M. C. H. , A. M. U. , Aligarh during 2013-2014 after getting approval from Institutional Ethics Committee. One hundred and four women with term gestation, with Bishop score less than 4 with various indications for labour induction were randomly divided into two groups. In Group I, 25 g of misoprostol tablet was placed intravaginally, 4 hourly up to maximum 6 doses. In Group II, Foley catheter 16F, inflated with 50 cc of sterile saline, was placed through the internal os of the cervix. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. RESULTS Two groups were similar in view of their demographic characteristics. The induction to delivery interval (mean SD) in women induced with intravaginal misoprostol was 14.03 7.61 hours of transcervical Foley catheter was 18.40 8.02 hours. Misoprostol is associated with a shorter induction to delivery interval. The rate of vaginal delivery was 76.7 % Vs 56.8 % in misoprostol and Foley catheter group respectively which was significantly higher in misoprostol group (p