A comparative study of labor induced by oral prostaglandin E2 and buccal tablets of demoxytocin.

A comparative study of the efficacy of oral prostaglandin E2 and buccal tablets of demoxytocin for induction of labor in overdue pregnancies was made in groups of randomly selected patients. Labor was successfully induced in 95.7% of the women in the prostaglandin group and 92.1% of the women in the demoxytocin group. Although the operative delivery rate was low in both groups, it was significantly higher for the demoxytocin group. A low rate of perinatal distress was recorded and there were no serious side effects in either group. The time from start of induction until delivery, as well as the time from amniotomy until delivery, were compared for primiparae and multiparae separately. No significant differences were found. The blood loss during the third stage of labor was lower in the prostaglandin group. We find oral induction of labor in overdue pregnancies effective, safe and convenient.