Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on April 3, 2006
Human Reproduction 2006 21(8):2167-2170; doi:10.1093/humrep/del098
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Misoprostol for cervical ripening in non-pregnant women: a randomized double-blind controlled trial of oral versus vaginal regimens
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla, Thailand
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Prince of Songkla University, Hat Yai, Songkhla 90110, Thailand. E-mail: chchaina{at}yahoo.com
BACKGROUND: The objective was to compare the efficacy of oral versus vaginal misoprostol for cervical ripening in non-pregnant women. METHODS: Sixty non-pregnant women scheduled for diagnostic hysteroscopy were randomized by computerized randomization schedule to 400 µg of misoprostol orally (n = 30) or 200 µg vaginally (n = 30) administered 12 h prior to surgery. The diameter of the cervical canal measured with a Hegar dilator, adverse events and any complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean pre- and post-medication cervical canal diameter and cervical diameter difference were 2.00 ± 1.93 versus 2.37 ± 1.83 mm (P = 0.453), 5.10 ± 1.75 versus 5.60 ± 1.69 mm (P = 0.265) and 3.10 ± 1.79 versus 3.23 ± 1.74 mm (P = 0.771) in the oral and vaginal group, respectively. Seven patients in the oral group and one patient in the vaginal group experienced diarrhoea within 24 h of administration of the misoprostol. CONCLUSION: Oral misoprostol 400 µg had similar efficacy in cervical ripening to 200 µg of vaginal misoprostol.
Key words: cervical ripening/hysteroscopy/misoprostol/oral/vaginal