Comparison of the Effect of Oxytocin and Oral Misoprostol on Induction of Pregnancy in Term and Post-Term Pregnancies

Induction of labor is a common procedure that is performed due to medical indications of mother or infant or social and elective causes. There are several methods for induction of labor, including misoprostol and oxytocin. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine and compare the effect of oxytocin and oral misoprostol on induction of pregnancy in term and post-term pregnancies.

This is a descriptive study that was conducted in 2019-2021. The statistical population consisted of 160 patients who were candidates for termination of pregnancy and were divided into two groups of 80 people, one group with misoprostol 50 micrograms which was administered as an oral solution up to a maximum dose of 200 micrograms and the other group with oxytocin ampoules with Initial doses of 10 units were induced. The success rate in each group was considered to achieve appropriate contractions (three contractions in ten minutes, each lasting 40 seconds) and finally the rate of successful normal delivery. The collected data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney, Chi-square and t-test.

According to the statistical test, a significant difference was observed between the two groups in the variables of type of delivery and lack of progress of delivery. The percentage of normal delivery in the misoprostol group was higher than the oxytocin group, which was statistically significant (p = 0.005). The mean age of patients in the misoprostol group compared to the oxytocin group was 28.21 7 7.64 and 25.84 99 5.99, respectively, which was not statistically significant (p = 0.005). Also, the lack of progression of labor was higher in the oxytocin group compared to the other group, which was statistically significant (p <0.001).

According to these cases, the present study displayed a better effect on induction of labor by misoprostol and considering that the two drugs were not different in side effects, it could indicate a better and more appropriate efficacy of misoprostol in induction of labor.