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Intravenous (IV) oxytocin is standard for labor augmentation, although oral misoprostol is a possible alternative. Researchers conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate efficacy of 75-µg oral misoprostol versus standard-dose IV oxytocin for augmentation in 279 women (57% nulliparous) who did not progress after reaching active labor.
Time from admission to drug administration was shorter for misoprostol than for oxytocin, but duration of labor augmentation, route of delivery, and neonatal outcomes did not differ between groups. Incidence of uterine hypertonus (defined as a single contraction longer than 120 seconds) was higher in the misoprostol group than the oxytocin group (24% vs. 11%; P=0.002), although overall incidence of tach…