Induction of labor with prostaglandin E2 administered orally.

The effectiveness of orally administered prostaglandin E2 in inducing labor was studied in 60 patients with uncomplicated, full-term pregnancies, using three dosage schedules. Although 40 patients did deliver, 11 patients' amniotic membranes ruptured at a time considered by the investigators to introduce an undesired variable in attempting to evaluate the drug. Twenty (33%) failed to deliver despite adequate Bishop scores. Side effects were noted in 45% of patients. No significant advantage for induction of labor occurred with the three dosage schedules used.