STIMULATION OF LABOR IN CASES OF PREMATURE RUPTURE OF THE MEMBRANES AT OR NEAR TERM

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Abstract
Prostaglandin E2‐tablets were compared to in‐ravenous oxytocin for the stimulation of labor in 201 patients at or near term, with premature spontaneous rupture of the membranes without labor activity for 6 hours after the escape of fluid. The patients were randomly allocated; 99 were treated with PGE2‐tablets (0.5–1.5 mg/hour) and 102 with intravenous oxytocin (7.5–45 mIU/min).The treatment was ineffective in the PGE2 group in 3 cases; these were treated successfully with intravenous oxytocin. In the oxytocin group, 3 patients were delivered by cesarean section for reasons not associated with the drug. A significant difference was found in the stimulation‐delivery time, in favor of intravenous oxytocin.Although PGE2 tablets are a safe and convenient alternative to intravenous oxytocin, the investigation showed that intravenous oxytocin is preferable in cases of premature rupture of the membranes with more than 6 hours without labor activity.