Induction of labor--pharmacology methods.

Pharmacologic methods for induction of labor have been used for many decades. Pharmacologic agents have an advantage over mechanical methods in that they can be used during both the initial cervical ripening stage of induction and throughout the second stage of labor. Pharmacologic induction agents such as prostaglandins and oxytocin are commonly used for labor and delivery floors and are well established for use in cervical ripening. Nitric oxide donors and mifepristone are known agents in medicine but are new and actively studied in the area of cervical ripening. These agents are introduced and analyzed in this review.