Glucocorticoids shorten and speed up the misoprostol-induced labour in postdate pregnancy.

: Background: Postdate pregnancies are difficult pregnancies to carry to term because of increased chance of complications. Misoprostol is an efficient induction strategy. There is a lot of interest in the effects of corticosteroids on cervical ripening and shortening physiological phase of labor. Aim: To assess how intramuscular dexamethasone affected length of labor brought on by vaginal misoprostol in cases of postdate pregnancy. Patients and methods: 100 women with postdate pregnancies were randomized in two groups: Group1 (n= 50) received single dose of 8 mg dexamethazone in 2 mL solution intramuscular and group 2 (n=50) received 2 ml isotonic saline (placebo group). Dexamethasone and placebo groups saw withdrawal of 10 and 11 individuals. Misoprostol (50 µg) at 6-hour intervals was given after prop¬er monitoring. Results: In dexamethazone group, 77.5 % of women gave birth within 12 hours, as opposed to 35.9 % in the placebo group (p < 0.05). When compared to placebo group, dexamethasone group's induction to delivery time was quicker (680.1 ± 55.4 min versus 766.1 ± 58.3 min., p < 0.001). Additionally, time from start of labor induction and start of active phase of labor was shorter in the dexamethazone group as compared to placebo group (253.9 ± 47.4 min versus 306.1 ± 37.2 min., p < 0.001). Additionally, patients in dexamethazone group experienced active phase of labor that was shorter (394.6 ± 36.9 compared 419.1 ± 31.3 min., p = 0.000) and second stage of labor that was much shorter (19.1 ± 2.8 versus 28.7 ± 3.0 min). Conclusions: In postdate pregnancy, intramuscular dexamethasone and vaginal misoprostol reduced interval between labor induction and beginning of active phase of labor. Interval between active stage and second stage of labor also was shorter.