Objective: To compare the effectiveness and safety of oxytocin and a cervical ripening balloon in women with unfavorable cervices for inducing labor.
Material and methods: A total of eighty pregnant women between 37-41 gestational weeks having singleton pregnancies and intact membranes with unfavorable cervices were randomized into two groups, cervical ripening balloon (n=40) and oxytocin infusion (n=40). The primary outcomes were the labor time and the route of delivery. Secondary outcomes were the effect of parity on time of labor, and obstetric and perinatal outcomes.
Results: The median time to delivery was 9.45 hours in cervical ripening balloon group and 13.2 hours in the oxytocin group in multiparous women. The differences were statistically significant (p<0.001). The median time until delivery was 11.48 hours in cervical ripening balloon group and 13.46 hours in the oxytocin group; the differences were statistically significant (p<0.001). Cesarean delivery ratios were similar in both groups (p=0.431).
Conclusion: The results of the present study are promising for balloon use, especially in multiparous women. It is beneficial to support these data with wide ranging population-based studies.
Keywords: Double-balloon catheter; labor induction; unfavorable cervix.