Foley Catheter and Dinoprostone Vaginal Insert Effectiveness Assessed for Labor Induction in Term Parous Women

Labor induction is a common obstetric procedure, particularly for women at term with an unfavorable cervix, meaning it's not yet soft or dilated enough for labor. Current methods aim to ripen the cervix and stimulate contractions. While various approaches exist, comparing their effectiveness and safety is crucial to optimize maternal and neonatal outcomes. An unfavorable cervix can prolong labor, increase the risk of cesarean section, and necessitate interventions. Identifying the optimal method for cervical ripening and labor induction in parous women, who have previously given birth, is important as their physiological response might differ from nulliparous women.

This randomized controlled trial (NCT01317862) enrolled 154 term parous women with an unfavorable cervix to compare two methods for labor induction. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a transcervical Foley catheter or a dinoprostone vaginal insert. The study aimed to assess the comparative effectiveness and safety of these two distinct approaches for preinduction cervical ripening and subsequent labor induction. The primary endpoints included measures of successful induction, time to delivery, and adverse events for both mother and neonate.