Eighty women undergoing induction of labor at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital were recruited and randomly\nallocated into two treatment groups (40 each), to receive either serial 50 �¼g doses of misoprostol or intracervical Foley catheter.\nVaginal blood loss was collected and measured using an under buttocks plastic collection bag and by perineal pad weighing up to\n6 hours postpartum. There were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to sociodemographic and obstetric\ncharacteristics. Comparison of blood loss in vaginal deliveries between the two groups revealed that subjects in the misoprostol\ngroup had significantly higher blood loss than subjects in the Foley catheter group (488 �± 222 versus 326 �± 106, p < 0.05). In both\ngroups, there was strong and statistically significant positive correlation between postpartum blood loss and induction delivery\ninterval (r = 0.75, p < 0.0001; r = 0.77, p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in maternal outcomes. In view of this,\nfurther study is required to ascertain if lower doses of misoprostol for induction of labor may result in lesser blood loss. This trial is\nregistered with ISRCTN14479515.
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