A study of intravaginal misoprostol for induction of labor in toxemia of pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and complications of intravaginal misoprostol for induction of labor in patients with and without toxemia of pregnancy.

METHODS: Forty-two patients with toxemia of pregnancy (group 1) and 59 women at term without toxemia (group 2) with Bishop scores of < or = 6 were treated with 50 microg intravaginal misoprostol given four times at 4-h intervals. Labor and neonatal outcomes, and any complications, were recorded. Mann-Whitney U-, Student's t- and chi(2)-tests were used for statistical analyses. P < or = 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS: The rates of vaginal delivery were 73.8% and 84.6%, oxytocin augmentation were 4.8% and 5.1% and the mean insertion to delivery times were 12.5 and 13.8 h in group 1 and 2, respectively, with no significant differences between the groups. Neonatal outcomes, rates of uterine contraction abnormalities and gastrointestinal symptoms were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS: Intravaginal misoprostol is an equally effective and safe method of induction of labor in patients with toxemia of pregnancy and in normal pregnant women.