Foley Catheter Versus PGE2 for Labor Induction at Term: a Pilot Study

Induction of labor is one of the most common interventions in obstetrics. In the past decade, the rates of labor induction at term have doubled from approximately 9% to 23% in the United States and from 10% to 20.4% in China. The majority of women undergoing labor induction requires cervical ripening for the unfavorable cervixes. As globally, it is still required to explore an optimal induction method. Foley catheter was among the oldest mechanical approaches, while prostaglandin E2 vaginal suppository (PGE2) one of the most popular pharmacological agents for cervical ripening. There were studies reporting similar cesarean section rates between these two methods. However, there are no randomized control trials (RCTs) with adequate power to compare their frequencies of severe perinatal complications. The investigators aim to compare the effectiveness and safety of Foley catheter versus PGE2 for induction of labor among term pregnant women with an unfavourable cervix.