Oral versus vaginal misoprostol for labor induction.

Objective: To compare the safety and effectiveness of vaginal with oral misoprostol for induction of labor.

Methods: A total of 107 women with clinical indication for induction were randomly assigned to receive oral or vaginal misoprostol. Doses of 100 microg of oral or 25 microg of vaginal misoprostol were given every 3-4 hours.

Central diabetes insipidus: a complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt malfunction during pregnancy.

During pregnancy ventriculoperitoneal shunts have reported complication rates of 30% to 60%. In this case a functionally occluded shunt resulted in prolonged increased intracranial pressure, pituitary stalk damage, and permanent central diabetes insipidus. This complication of ventriculoperitoneal shunt occlusion during pregnancy has not been previously reported.

Comparison of pancuronium and vecuronium for fetal neuromuscular blockade during invasive procedures.

Neuromuscular blocking agents, used to arrest fetal motion for invasive intrauterine procedures, may cause temporary fetal heart rate changes. After 21 invasive procedures using either pancuronium bromide or vecuronium bromide, post-procedure fetal heart rate tracings were retrospectively compared. Pancuronium was associated with an increased fetal heart rate and decreased beat-to-beat variability for 2.

Clomiphene-induced quintuplets with a failed attempt at delayed-interval delivery.

Clomiphene citrate is widely used for ovulation induction. It is associated with a 6 to 17% incidence of multiple gestation. We report on a 27-year-old para 0010 patient who, after an initial evaluation for secondary infertility of 2 years' duration, was deemed to have oligo-ovulation.

Risk factors for preterm delivery in a healthy cohort.

To examine whether risk factors differed among subgroups of preterm (< 37 weeks of gestation) deliveries, we studied a cohort of 1,825 enlisted servicewomen who delivered from 1987 through 1990 at four U.S. Army medical centers.