Dinoprostone (vaginal suppository)

Dinoprostone is administered in the hospital to induce labor in pregnant women who are close to term. A doctor inserts this suppository into the vagina to encourage the body to go into labor. After the medication is inserted into the vagina, the woman should lie down for two hours and wait for labor to begin. If the medication doesn’t work within six hours, the doctor may administer a second dose.

Warnings/Side Effects

This medication should only be given to women in hospital settings so that trained personnel can monitor the women’s symptoms and help her with labor. Doing it in the hospital also helps prevent overdoses and allows doctors to take immediate action in the event that a woman has an allergic or otherwise negative reaction to the medication.

Some women have flu-like symptoms after being given this medication. If nausea, vomiting or diarrhea become severe, the woman may be having a reaction to the medication that doctors need to reverse.