A comparison of induction with vaginal prostaglandin E2 versus spontaneous of labor in grand multiparous women.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the outcome of labor in grand multiparous women (para 6 or more) who had induction of labor with vaginal prostaglandin E2 with grand multiparous women in spontaneous labor.

METHODS

A retrospective case-control study was performed, 202 grand multiparous women were induced labor with vaginal prostaglandin E2 and compared with outcomes with grand multiparous women who entered in spontaneous labor and delivered during the same study period and served as control group.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences in the duration of labor, fetal birth weight, use of oxytocin augmentation, and Apgar scores in the two groups. Fourteen women (6.9%) in the induction group delivered by cesarean section compared to six woman (3.0%) in the control group. This was a statistically significant difference (P = 0.01). In the induction group, the mean duration of the hospital stay was longer (P = 0.003) and there was one neonatal fetal death and one uterus rupture.

CONCLUSION

Induction of labor with vaginal prostaglandin E2 in grand multiparous women is still relatively safe.