Comparison of Outcome of Foley Catheter versus Misoprostol for Induction of Labor at Term Pregnancy

Zunera Sumbal; Sana Amjad; Madiha Hamza; Somia Khan

doi:10.71104/jsogp.v16i3.1098

Zunera Sumbal Forensic Department, Dera Ghazi Khan Medical College, Dera Ghazi Khan
Sana Amjad Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Medics Clinics and Diagnostic Centre, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Madiha Hamza Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Tehsil Head Quarter Hospital, Sharaqpur, Pakistan.
Somia Khan Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Population and Health Department, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.71104/jsogp.v16i3.1098

Keywords: gestational diabetes, misoprostol

Abstract

Objective: To compare the mean induction-to-delivery interval of Foley catheter versus misoprostol for induction of labor (IOL) in singleton term pregnancies.

Methodology: This randomized controlled trial NCT07416487 (clinicaltrials.gov) was carried out at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital, Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan, from February 2025 to July 2025. A total of 102 (51 in each group) pregnant females aged 18-40 years with a singleton term pregnancy, vertex presentation, intact membranes, and parity less than 4 undergoing induction of labour were included. Participants were allocated by lottery method with concealment to intravaginal misoprostol 25 μg every 4 hours up to four doses or an intracervical 16F Foley catheter inflated with 30 mL saline. Induction to delivery interval was recorded from the insertion of the Foley catheter or misoprostol until the delivery of the fetus (in hours).

Results: In a total of 102 women the mean age was 27.5±5.5 years, with ages ranging from 18 to 40 years. The mean gestational age at induction was 39.4±1.3 weeks. Parity distribution was nullipara in 31 (30.4%), primipara in 21 (20.6%), and multipara in 50 (49.0%) women. Indications for induction were chronic hypertension in 33 (32.4%) women, gestational diabetes in 42 (41.2%), and congenital anomaly in 27 (26.5%). Induction-to-delivery interval differed between the study groups as women in misoprostol group had a shorter mean induction-to-delivery interval compared with those allocated to Foley catheter at 14.6±1.8 hours versus 18.5±2.7 hours (p<0.001). With regards to different indications for induction, induction to delivery interval remained significantly shorter among women in misoprostol group.

Conclusion: Intravaginal misoprostol resulted in a shorter induction to delivery interval than the intracervical Foley catheter among women undergoing induction of labour for singleton term pregnancies.