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Warning: You may not want your children to read some topics in this section. |
How are prostaglandins given?
Arguments for and against prostaglandins
Prostaglandins can sometimes be used to augment a woman's labour. They are synthetic hormones (or medications) that are placed inside the woman's vagina, (in the form of a gel or a pessary). They are more commonly used to ripen the woman's cervix or induce her labour (in some countries this drug is given as an oral medication). The role of prostaglandins for augmentation is usually limited to stimulating the contractions after the woman's waters have broken for a period of time. They are never used if the woman's contractions slow (or stop) during the labour.
Even when the waters are broken, some caregivers are still reluctant to use prostaglandins. This is because the woman is more sensitive to the prostaglandin medications when her waters are broken, and there is also the risk of getting some of the medication inside the uterus when the waters are broken. Both of these factors can place the woman at higher risk of overstimulating her uterus, causing
tonic contractions and distressing the baby. The drainage of amniotic fluid through the woman's vagina can also flush out some of the medication after it is inserted, making it less effective.
The way a caregiver manages a woman whose membranes have ruptured (without starting labour soon after) will vary. The woman may be allowed to wait for up to 24 to 72 hours, or in some cases 7 days (called 'expectant management'). Others will recommend augmenting her with an oxytocin drip, or prostaglandins. You may wish to read more about this in
ruptured membranes.
The more commonly used prostaglandins in Australia are Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) gel or 'Prostin' or Dinoprostone pessaries (Cervidil).