Vaginal misoprostol for cervical ripening at term: comparison of outpatient vs. inpatient administration.

Objective: To compare outpatient with inpatient misoprostol for preinduction cervical ripening at term.

Study Design: This concurrent cohort study was conducted between August 1999 and July 2002 at a rural community hospital. Pregnancies > or =38 weeks with an unfavorable cervix were eligible if there was a reactive nonstress test with no regular contractions or active medical/obstetric complications.

Randomized trial between two active labor management protocols in the presence of an unfavorable cervix.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of two protocols for active management of labor at term in the presence of an unfavorable cervix.

Study Design: Pregnancies that underwent labor induction at > or =37 weeks of gestation with an unfavorable cervix (Bishop score, < or =6) were randomly assigned to receive vaginally either a single dose of sustained-release dinoprostone (Cervidil) with concurrent low-dose oxytocin or multidosing of misoprostol (25 microg every 4 hours) followed by high-dose oxytocin. The primary outcome was the time interval from induction to vaginal delivery.