Cervical maturation in premature rupture of membranes at term

Abstract Introduction: The obstetric attitude to premature rupture of membranes at term with unfavorable cervical conditions remains controversial. Several studies have demonstrated an increase in maternal and neonatal morbidity with expectancy, whereas immediate active management reduces delivery times and infectious morbidity. Materials and methods: In this study, we sought to compare the efficacy and safety of repeated oral administration of misoprostol with that of intra-vaginal administration. We carried out a prospective randomized trial including 160 patients who met the following criteria: single progressive eutrophic pregnancy in vertex presentation and term 36 weeks of amenorrhea, absence of signs of amniochorionic infection, clear amniotic fluid and bishop score < 6. Results: Once vaginal delivery had been accepted obstetrically, and in the absence of alteration of fetal and maternal well-being, patients were randomized into two groups of equal numbers: In the first group, misoprostol was administered to all.