Comparison Effect of Oral Propranolol and Oxytocin Versus Oxytocin Only on Induction of Labour in Nulliparous Women (A Double Blind Randomized Trial)

Abstract

Background and Aim: Today, research on new methods for preventing caesarean sections owing to labour induction, have been requested in obstetric practice, because of the increased morbidity related to caesarean section. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effect of Oral Propranolol and Oxytocin versus Oxytocin only on induction of labour in nulliparous women. Material and Methods: A double blind randomized controlled trial was performed at the Ilam Mostafa Hospital, Ilam, Iran, from March 2010 to March 2011 on 146 nulliparous pregnant women who had gestational age of 40–42 weeks of pregnancy and a Bishop score of ≤5. Participants were divided in two groups (with 73 participants in each group). In the first group (placebo plus Oxytocin group = 73), Oxytocin was used for the induction of labour. In the second group (Propranolol plus Oxytocin group = 73 cases), before the use of Oxytocin, 20 mg Propranolol was administrated orally and then the Oxytocin was initiated. Twenty mg Propranolol was repeated after 8 hours if good contraction was not obtained. Results: The mean duration for obtaining good contractions was significantly shorter in the Propranolol group than in the placebo group, on both the first and second day of induction (p.05) Discussion and Conclusion: Our study showed that oral Propranolol was effective for labour induction and that it could decrease the frequency of caesarean deliveries without producing any adverse effects on mothers or neonates.

Keywords

• induction of labour
• propranolol
• caesarean delivery
• oxytocin