Efficacy and safety of double balloon catheter and dinoprostone for labor induction in multipara at term

Abstract Purpose The aim of this study was to comparatively assess the efficacy and safety of double balloon catheter (DBC) and dinoprostone as labor-inducing agents just for multipara at term. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among multipara at term with a Bishop score < 6 who needed planned labor induction from January 1, 2020, to December 30, 2020 in Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei province, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology. They were divided into DBC group and dinoprostone group respectively. Baseline maternal data, maternal and neonatal outcomes were recorded for statistical analysis. Total vaginal delivery rate, rate of vaginal delivery within 24 h, rate of uterine hyperstimulation combined with abnormal fetal heart rate(FHR) were regarded as the primary outcome variables. The diffrerence between groups was considered statistically significant when p value < 0.05. Results A total of 202 multipara was included for analysis (95 women in DBC group vs 107 women in dinoprostone group ). There were no significant differences in total vaginal delivery rate and rate of vaginal delivery within 24 h between groups. Uterine hyperstimulation combined with abnormal FHR occurred exclusively in dinoprostone group. Conclusion DBC and dinoprostone seem to be equally effective, and DBC seems to be safer than dinoprostone as it causes lower rate of uterine hyperstimulation combined with abnormal FHR.