Women’s Experiences of Induction of Labour With Low-dose Misoprostol Oral Tablets Compared With Slow-release Vaginal Insert. A Prospective Cohort Study Based on Questionnaires.

Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to compare nulliparous women’s experiences of induction of labour with two different regimens of misoprostol.Methods: In two different hospitals, nulliparous women undergoing medical induction of labour were asked to complete a questionnaire after delivery. We adapted a validated questionnaire regarding mood and feelings during induction of labour, experience of labour and experience of induction.The questionnaire was completed by 123 (42.7%) of 288 eligible women; 57 (46.3%) had been allocated to oral misoprostol and 66 (53.7%) to slow-release vaginal insert. An independent-samples T-test was used for comparison of parametric continuous variables and a Pearson chi-square test was used for categorical data.Results: Women induced with oral misoprostol experienced a more painful induction of labour (p=0.019) and described feeling the length of stay at hospital as too long (p=0.028). The overall experience of giving birth after induction of labour was reported as “good” among 87.8% of women induced with oral misoprostol compared to 72.7% of women induced with slow-release misoprostol vaginal insert (p=0.039). Conclusions: Induction with low-dose oral misoprostol in nulliparous women is associated with experience of more pain and longer duration but overall a more positive experience of labour compared with induction with slow-release misoprostol vaginal insert.Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT02693587 on February 262,016.EudraCT number 2020–000366-42 on 23 January 2020, retrospectively registered.