A double-blind controlled trial of PGE2 gel in cervical ripening.

A double-blind controlled trial of intracervical prostaglandin E2 gel was carried out in patients with an unripe cervix. Half of the treated group, compared to 8.6% of the controls became established in labor before planned amniotomy. There was no significant improvement in the state of the cervix in the remaining patients and the outcome of labor was not improved in the treated group in terms of fetal distress or cesarean section.