Laminaria tents and vaginal prostaglandin E2 were used to ripen the cervix in a randomly selected group of 20 patients in whom induction of labour was indicated and the Bishop score was less than 5. In the 14 patients who failed to go into labour both methods improved the Bishop score, but the laminaria tents were significantly (P less than 0,02) more effective cervical dilators. The use of laminaria tents in advocated in selected cases.