Journal of Pharmacopuncture (대한약침학회지)

KOREAN PHARMACOPUNCTURE INSTITUTE (대한약침학회)
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Effect of Castor Oil on Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

  • Moradi, Maryam (Nursing and Midwifery Care Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Niazi, Azin (School of Nursing and Midwifery, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Mazloumi, Ehsan (Health Management and Economics Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences) ;
  • Lopez, Violeta (School of Nursing, Hubei University of Medicine)
  • Received : 2021.12.21
  • Accepted : 2022.05.09
  • Published : 2022.06.30
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Abstract

Objectives: Post-term pregnancy is a condition associated with increased maternal and fetal complications. Administration of castor oil causes cervical stimulation by increasing the production of prostaglandins. We examined the effects of castor oil on cervical ripening and labor induction through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: The search process was performed to obtain relevant articles from databases including Pubmed, Cochrane library, Scopus, Science direct, SID, Iran Medex, and Google Scholar using the English keywords of cervical ripening, post-term, castor oil, labor induction, Bishop score, and pregnancy considering all possible combinations without time constraints and their Persian equivalents from national databases. Results: A total of eight related articles from the 19 primary studies were extracted and systematically reviewed. According to a cumulative chart, the difference in the post-intervention Bishop score was statistically significant (standard mean difference [SMD]: 1.64, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.67-2.11, p = 0.001), indicating an effect of castor oil on increasing the Bishop score. In addition, the difference in labor induction was statistically significant after the intervention (odds ratio: 11.67, 95% CI: 3.34-40.81, p = 0.001), indicating an effect of castor oil on increasing the odds ratio of labor induction (experience of vaginal delivery). Conclusion: This meta-analysis showed that oral administration of castor oil is effective for cervical ripening and labor induction. Midwives should closely monitor pregnant women with prolonged labor and collaborate with obstetricians to employ castor oil as a safe intervention to induce cervical ripening and labor to prevent undue caesarean surgery.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the Deputy of Research at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences for funding the current project.

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