Dilapan-S versus Standard Methods for Cervical Ripening in Term Pregnancies: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis.

Objectives: Dilapan-S is a cervical ripening agent approved by the FDA that has been found to be just as effective as other agents and can be utilized for outpatient ripening. No large-scale studies have been conducted to compare cesarean delivery rates between Dilapan-S and other ripening methods. Our objective was to combine these trials to compare cesarean delivery rates for Dilapan-S with other cervical ripening methods, overall and in sub-groups.

Outpatient Compared With Inpatient Preinduction Cervical Ripening Using a Synthetic Osmotic Dilator: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: To assess whether outpatient cervical ripening with a synthetic osmotic dilator shortens the length of hospital stay in term pregnancies undergoing labor induction.

Methods: Pregnant participants scheduled for labor induction at term with unfavorable cervix (less than 3-cm dilated and less than 60% effaced) and not requiring inpatient maternal or fetal monitoring were consented, and synthetic osmotic dilator rods were inserted on the day of scheduled induction. After reassuring fetal heart tracing, patients randomized to the outpatient group were asked to return 12 hours after insertion or sooner if needed.

Cervical Ripening Efficacy of Synthetic Osmotic Cervical Dilator Compared With Oral Misoprostol at Term: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate whether a synthetic osmotic cervical dilator is noninferior to oral misoprostol for cervical ripening.

Methods: In an open-label, noninferiority randomized trial, pregnant women undergoing induction of labor at 37 weeks of gestation or more with Bishop scores less than 6 were randomized to either mechanical cervical dilation or oral misoprostol. Participants in the mechanical dilation group underwent insertion of synthetic osmotic cervical dilator rods, and those in the misoprostol group received up to six doses of 25 micrograms orally every 2 hours.

Effects of menopause and hormone replacement therapy on serum levels of coenzyme Q10 and other lipid-soluble antioxidants.

The present study examines the influence of menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on serum levels of coenzyme Q(10) and other lipid-soluble antioxidants in normal women. Serum levels of coenzyme Q(10), alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, beta-carotene and lycopene in 50 premenopausal women (not using oral contraceptives), 33 healthy postmenopausal and 15 postmenopausal women on HRT ("Prempo"; combination of 0.625 mg conjugated estrogen and 2.