Table 4 Labour induction: balloon catheter vs. prostaglandins (prostaglandin E₂, misoprostol). Results of 2012 Cochrane review 26.

Jozwiak M et al. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2012; 3: CD001233. Comparable results in: Vaknin Z et al. AJOG 2010 (meta-analysis 43)

tendency to increased rate of women not delivered within 24 h: 48 vs. 38 % (RR 1.26; 95 % CI 0.94–1.68) no significant difference in caesarean section rate: 27 vs. 25 % (RR 1.01; 95 % CI 0.90–1.13) no significant difference in cervical ripening (cervix unfavourable after 12–24 h): 37 vs. 39 % (RR 0.96; 95 % CI 0.70–1.34) significantly higher rate of need for augmentation of labour with oxytocin: 75 vs. 80 % (RR 1.51; 95 % CI 1.15–1.97) significantly lower rate of uterine hyperstimulation with fetal heart rate changes: 0.4 vs. 3 % (RR 0.19; 95 % CI 0.08–0.43)