The aim of this study is to compare the effect of misoprostol and foley catheter in cervical ripening among pregnant women with preeclampsia or gestational hypertension. The primary outcome was the interval between the commencement of induction and obtaining bishop score of 6 (induction to ripened cervix interval) and the secondary outcome included: maternal and neonatal complications, oxytocin requirement, delivery before 24 hours, duration of the second stage of delivery, cesarean delivery incidence in each of cervical ripening methods. Therefore, this interventional study was designed as a randomized control trial which was non-blinded and parallel. Inclusion criteria were pregnant women with preeclampsia or gestational hypertension and singleton pregnancies, gestational age of 26 weeks or more, absence of active labour, cephalic presentation, unfavorable cervix (bishop score of 6 or less), normal FHR and intact membrane. Exclusion criteria were hypersensitivity to Prostaglandins, previous Cesarean section or previous uterine scar, macrosomia, lethal congenital anomalies and placenta previa.
According to this, a total number of 125 women were randomly divided into two groups. The misoprostol group (n=54) and the Foley catheter group (n=71). In group one, 25 µg of misoprostol tablet was administrated sublingually every 4 hours up to maximum dose of 6. In group two, a 16F Foley catheter was placed through the internal os of the cervix under aseptic condition and then inflated with 60 cc of sterile saline.