Misoprostol combined with oxytocin versus oxytocin alone in improving cervical Bishop score during term induction of labor: A retrospective analysis

This study aims to investigate the effect of misoprostol combined with oxytocin versus oxytocin alone on improving the cervical Bishop score during term labor induction and its impact on delivery outcomes. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 200 pregnant women who underwent term labor induction and met the inclusion criteria at Ningcheng Central Hospital, Chifeng, between Decemeber 2024 and May 2025. According to different clinical medication regimens, they were divided into a control group (oxytocin alone, n = 100) and a study group (misoprostol combined with oxytocin, n = 100). Baseline data, improvements in cervical Bishop score, labor-related indicators, and delivery outcomes were collected for both groups, and subgroup analyses were performed. There were no statistically significant differences in baseline data between the 2 groups (P > .05). After 12 hours of intervention, the improvement in Bishop score was significantly greater in the study group compared with the control group (Δ Bishop score 3.5 ± 1.2 vs 2.4 ± 1.0, P < .001), with a higher overall effective rate (87.0% vs 71.0%, P = .012). The study group also showed significantly shorter times from medication to onset of labor (8.4 ± 2.9 vs 11.8 ± 3.5 hours) and for the first stage of labor (7.2 ± 2.8 vs 9.6 ± 3.2 hours) (both P < .001). The vaginal delivery rate in the study group was 86.0%, higher than 72.0% in the control group (P = .015). Subgroup analysis indicated that the combined regimen had advantages in both primiparas and multiparas, as well as in women at 37 to 39 weeks or ≥40 weeks of gestation, with more pronounced benefits in primiparas and those at 37 to 39 weeks. Misoprostol combined with oxytocin during term labor induction can significantly improve cervical ripening, shorten the time from medication to labor onset and the first stage of labor, and increase the vaginal delivery rate, showing high clinical application value.