Experience of the use of desamino-oxytocin buccal tablets as a method of inducing labour, and of a scoring system for evaluation of readiness for labour.

Abstract

Induction of labour was performed on 259 parturients by means of desamino‐oxytocin (ODA 914) buccal tablets. The maximal dose was small (350 I.U.). Primary induction was successful in 64% of the cases. The incidence of maternal complications was small.Neonatal asphyxia was diagnosed in 12 newborn in‐fants (4.6%). Asphyxia was more common in those cases in which toxaemia was the indication for induction. Intra partum and neonatal mortality were nil.An endeavour was made to predict the success of in‐duction by using a scoring system for evaluation of readiness for labour. The experience gained suggests that a scoring table of this kind may, when amplified and refined, be useful in deciding the best time for the performance of induction.