Dinoprostone is a synthetic prostaglandin E2 analogue. It is administered vaginally as a gel or via a vaginal device. Dinoprostone is the standard prostaglandin analogue for the induction of labour. It is used for this purpose because it causes the smooth muscle fibres in uterine muscle to contract and the cervix to soften. Dinoprostone can induce excessive contractions (uterine hyperstimulation), sometimes leading to uterine rupture. Its short half-life (1 to 3 minutes) and the possibility of rapidly terminating exposure (by vaginal douching or removing the device) help reduce the duration of these adverse effects if they occur while the patient is being monitored (1-3).
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