[Maturation of the cervix uteri using prostaglandin F2 alpha before induction of labor in pathologic pregnancies].

It is possible to induce labour in pathological pregnancies after artificial ripening of the cervix. The present study concerns 70 patients (45 primipara, 25 multipara). The main pathologies are hypertension of pregnancy and pregnancies past dates. Prostaglandin F2 alpha has been used with a Tylose gel containing 5 mg of PGF2 alpha introduced by the extra-amniotic route. The cervical change was noted using Bishop's score. The mean increase of the cervical score was 0.8 with the first PGF2 alpha gel. The total mean increase was 1.2. Two cases of hyperstimulation of the uterus were observed and they led to Caesarean section. Prostaglandin gel induced labour in 56% of the patients. The mean time between the introduction of the gel and the delivery was 14 h for primipara and 10 h for multipara. Other patients were induced with oxytocin on the following day. Epidural analgesia was widely used in this study (in 64% of cases). The mean duration of labour was 6 h 10 for primipara and 4 h 30 for multipara. 30% of the patients needed Caesarean section but there was a marked difference between primipara (36%) and multipara (4%). After a review of the literature the authors conclude that it is useful to ripen the cervix prostaglandin but, as foreign authors do, they think that PGE2 should be more efficient.