Preinduction priming with oral prostaglandin E2.

A double-blind study was undertaken to determine the effectiveness of prostaglandin E2 as a means for improving the prelabor pelvic conditions preparatory to induction of labor at term in 30 patients with unfavorable Bishop scores of less than 6. An interval of priming was followed after 8 to 12 hours by induction with oxytocin infusion. No meaningful differences were found in index cases as compared with controls to verify that PGE2 has any priming or enhancing effect under the conditions of the investigation.