To explore the complications and pregnancy outcomes of vaginal dinoprostone vs. Cook’s double balloon for the induction of labor among pregnancies complicated by small-for-gestational-age (SGA) at term.
This retrospective study included consecutive singleton pregnancies complicated by SGA treated at Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital between January 2017 and December 2021. The patients were divided into the Cook’s double balloon and dinoprostone groups according to the induction method they received. The primary outcome was vaginal delivery.
This study included 318 women [165 (aged 30.25 ± 4.72 years) and 153 (aged 28.80 ± 3.91 years) in the dinoprostone and Cook’s balloon groups]. The dinoprostone group had a higher vaginal delivery rate than the Cook’s balloon group (83.6% vs. 71.9%,  = .012). The cervical ripening duration (9.73 ± 4.82 vs. 17.50 ± 8.77 h,  < .001) and induction to delivery duration (22.11 ± 8.13 vs. 30.27 ± 12.28,  < .001) were significantly shorter in the dinoprostone group compared with the Cook's balloon group. Less women needed oxytocin infusion in the dinoprostone group compared with that in the Cook's balloon group (32.7% vs. 86.3%,  < .001). Dinoprostone was independently associated with vaginal delivery (HR = 1.756, 95%CI: 1.286-2.399,  = .000). The rates of uterine tachysystole and spontaneous rupture of the fetal membrane were significantly higher in the dinoprostone group than that in the Cook's balloon group (10.3% vs. 0.7%,  < .001; 7.3% vs. 1.3%,  = .012). There were no differences in maternal complications and neonatal outcomes between the two groups.
In pregnant woman with pregnancies complicated by SGA, cervical ripening using dinoprostone were more likely to achieve vaginal delivery than those with Cook’s balloon, and with a favorable complication profile.