Use of misoprostol for induction of labour in 83 pregnant women in al yarmouk teaching hospital –Baghdad –Iraq

Abstract EN

Objective: To establish the safety and efficacy of vaginal misoprostol for induction of labour.

Methods: This study was done in labour suite, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, from May 2005 to February 2006.

Eighty-three women with singleton pregnancies with different parities and different indications for induction of labour were enrolled in the study.

After informed verbal consent, misoprostol tablet (Cytotec, a synthetic prostaglandin analogue, Pharmacia) was inserted in the posterior fornix and repeated, if needed, 8 hourly for no more than 3 doses.

Parity will determine the initial dose of misoprostol to be used.

The results studied were; the failure of induction rate, caesarean section rate, hyperstimulation rate, and the fetal outcome.

Results: Vaginal delivery was successfully established and achieved in 74 women (89.15%).

Caesarean section done for nine women (10.85%), four of them were for failure of induction (4.80%), two for fetal distress (2.41%) and three caesarean sections were done for malposition (3.62%).

Five cases of tachysystole were encountered, and there were no cases of uterine rupture.

Conclusions: Misoprostol seems to be effective and safe agent for induction of labour, however it should be to be used with caution as the number of women is limited in this study.