Cervical priming and/or induction by intracervical application of PGE2-gel in term patients with preeclampsia and unfavorable cervical states.

92 preeclamptic women with unfavorable cervical states were treated with intracervical application of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in gel for cervical priming and/or labor induction. 55 (60%) were delivered after a single PGE2-gel application. In 27 (29%) the cervical state was improved after 24 h and labor could be induced by oxytocin infusion. Thus, 89% of the women were delivered within 48 h after a single PGE2-gel application. In 10 women (11%) a second PGE2-gel application had to be done before oxytocin infusion. The frequency of cesarean sections was low (5%). No case of uterine hypertonus was seen. No gastrointestinal side effects were observed. All newborn infants had an apgar score at 5 min of more than 7 and were in good condition.