Secondary outcomes were the need for cesarean section and women's evaluations of their treatment. The rates of neonatal infection and cesarean section were not significantly different among the study groups. The rates of cesarean section ranged from 9.6 to 10.9 percent. In women with prelabor rupture of the membranes at term, induction of labor with oxytocin or prostaglandin E 2 and expectant management result in similar rates of neonatal infection and cesarean section. Induction of labor with intravenous oxytocin results in a lower risk of maternal infection than does expectant management.
Women view induction of labor more positively than expectant management.
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