G Essilfie-Appiah
Medical Research Council/University of Natal Pregnancy Hypertension Research Unit andDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nelson R Mandela School of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban
GJ Hofmeyr
Medical Research Council/University of Natal Pregnancy Hypertension Research Unit and Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nelson R Mandela School of Health Sciences,
University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban
J Moodley
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Frere and Cecilia Makiwane hospitals, Effective Care Research Unit, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and Fort Hare University, Alice, Eastern Cape
Abstract
Misoprostol is currently being used for induction of labour at or near term and also for termination of pregnancy. Its use without proven dosage regimens is possibly associated with an increase in the incidence of uterine hyperstimulation, preterm labour, induced abortion above 20 weeks' gestation, meconium-stained liquor in the latent phase of labour, fetal distress and cases of uterine rupture as demonstrated by these case reports and literature review. Its use for these purposes must be under controlled circumstances, using minimum doses.
South African Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Vol.11(1) 2005: 9-10