A Study on the Combined Effect of Vaginal Misoprostol and Venous Oxytocin on Induction of Labor, Bishop Score, and Duration of Labor

Two commonly used methods for inducing labor are vaginal misoprostol and venous oxytocin. The aim of this study was to determine the combined effect of vaginal misoprostol and intravenous oxytocin on induction of labor, Bishop score, and duration of delivery in primipara women. In this randomized controlled clinical trial study, 106 primipara pregnant women with preterm delivery indicating pregnancy termination and Bishop score of less than 4, were divided randomly into two equal groups. The test group first received 25 micrograms of vaginal misoprostol, and after three hours, 10 units of oxytocin for induction of labor. The control group received only one 10-unit oxytocin infusion. The research tool was a researcher-made questionnaire and checklist (information gathering form). Data analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney, chi-square, and independent t tests via SPSS software with a significant level of P < 0.05. Findings: The research units in the two groups were similar in terms of demographic indicators. Independent t test showed that the mean time of the onset of regular uterine contractions, the active phase duration, the duration of the first stage of labor, and the duration of induction to delivery in the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.050). Meanwhile, paired t test showed that after intervention, the mean baseline coefficient of Bishop score in both groups was significantly higher than before intervention (P < 0.001)