Mechanical methods for induction of labor

In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted, which have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of using mechanical methods for the induction of labor with an unfavorable Bishop Score (BS ≤ 6). Mechanical methods work by stimulating the endogenous production of prostaglandins (PG) by stretching the amnio-chorionic membranes and myometrial cells. Balloon or osmotic dilators for cervical ripening and induction?European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive BiologyVol. 269PreviewInduction of labor is probably the intervention most studied by randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses of RCTs in pregnancy [1]. The options are many (e.g. balloon catheter, osmotic dilators, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), misoprostol, oxytocin, etc), and the RCTs and meta-analyses of RCTs comparing them so many that the clinician can get lost in a sea of studies [1,2]. Full-Text PDF