Table 1.
Characteristics of trial participants
| Characteristics | Induction (n = 158) | Expectant (n = 160) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age (years) | 28.0 ± 3.9 | 27.6 ± 3.4 | 0.31 |
| Gestational age (weeks) | 39.9 ± 0.5 | 39.8 ± 0.5 | 0.18 |
| Body mass index (BMI) | 27.3 ± 4.9 | 27.7 ± 3.5 | 0.39 |
| Ethnicity | 0.40 | ||
| Malay | 100 (63.3) | 114 (71.3) | |
| Chinese | 28 (17.7) | 21 (13.1) | |
| Indian | 21 (13.3) | 12 (7.5) | |
| Others | 9 (5.7) | 13 (8.1) | |
| Hours of contraction pain at recruitment | 12 [10–20] | 12 [9–19] | 0.97 |
| Cervical Bishop score at recruitment | 4.3 ± 1.6 | 4.1 ± 1.4 | 0.36 |
| Contraction pain score (VNRS)a at recruitment | 6.5 ± 1.9 | 6.6 ± 1.7 | 0.69 |
Data expressed as mean ± standard deviation, median [interquartile range] or number (%). Analyses by Student t test for continuous variables and Chi Square test for categorical data sets
a11-point verbal numerical rating scale (VNRS) with 0 representing no pain and 10 representing worst possible pain