Which causes less pain? A comparison of misoprostol and dinoprostone in labor induction

Abstract

Objective: Effective labor pain management is essential in prenatal care. Identifying factors that contribute to increased pain in patients undergoing labor induction is essential for optimizing pain control. This study assesses pain levels in labor induction patients receiving vaginal misoprostol or dinoprostone for cervical ripening using a visual analogue scale (VAS). Materials and methods: This prospective study includes 60 volunteer women who received either vaginal dinoprostone (50%) or vaginal misoprostol (50%) as cervical ripening agents. Group 1 consists of patients who received misoprostol, while Group 2 includes those who were administered dinoprostone. VAS scores were recorded during both active labor and crowning. In addition to these pain assessments, birth outcomes and patient characteristics were documented, and comparative analyses were conducted between the groups. Results: According to VAS scores, pain intensity was significantly lower in Group 1 compared to Group 2 at both stages of labor (during active labor: 6.67 ± 2.68 vs. 7.77 ± 1.59, P < 0.05; during crowning: 8.9 ± 1.32 vs. 9.8 ± 0.55, P < 0.05). All participants’ pain scores recorded during crowning were significantly higher than those recorded during active labor (P < 0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between the two agents in terms of oxytocin administration or the interval from drug administration to delivery (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Pain scores should be considered when selecting a cervical ripening agent. Misoprostol may be associated with lower pain levels.