Summary :
To compare the efficacy and safety of intra vaginal
misoprostol (prostaglandin E1) with those of dinoprostone
(prostaglandin E2) for cervical ripening and induction of
labour, a randomized controlled study was done on 74
pregnant women at term with unripe cervix, who had
indication for induction of labour in the department of
Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Bangabandhu Sheik
Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) between the period
from July 2002 to June 2003. Seventy-four cases were
randomly assigned to receive either 50 µgm intra-vaginal
misoprostol or 500 µgm dinoprostone intra-cervically. If
labour was not initiated within 6 hours the same dose was
repeated every 6 hours to a maximum of 150 µgm of
misoprostol or 1.5 mg dinoprostone. The main outcome
variables were induction delivery time, number of
deliveries within 24 hours, mode of delivery, maternal and