Medical Editor: John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP
What Is Prepidil?
Prepidil (dinoprostone) Cervical Gel is a prostaglandin, a hormone-like substance, used in a pregnant woman to relax the muscles of the cervix (opening of the uterus) in preparation for inducing labor at the end of a pregnancy.
What Are Side Effects of Prepidil?
Common side effects of Prepidil Cervical Gel include:
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- stomach or abdominal pain,
- diarrhea,
- back pain, or
- feeling of warmth in the vaginal area.
Side effects of Prepidil Cervical Gel in the fetus include fetal heart rate abnormality, and slow heart rate. Tell your doctor if your contractions slow down or become uneven, or if you have serious side effects of Prepidil Cervical Gel including:
- fever,
- sudden vaginal bleeding,
- cough,
- wheezing,
- chest tightness,
- trouble breathing,
- pale skin, or
- blue colored lips.
Dosage for Prepidil
Prepidil should be used only with strict adherence to recommended dosages and administered by physicians in a hospital that can provide immediate intensive care and acute surgical facilities.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Prepidil?
Other drugs may interact with Prepidil. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Prepidil During Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
Prepidil is used in pregnant women. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our Prepidil Gel (dinoprostone) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
QUESTION
The first sign of pregnancy is most often: See AnswerGet emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Tell your caregivers at once if your contractions slow down or become uneven, or if you have:
- a light-headed feeling, like you might pass out;
- weak or shallow breathing;
- intense pain between contractions;
- sudden vaginal bleeding;
- unexpected stomach pain;
- chest pain;
- easy bruising, unusual bleeding;
- bleeding from a wound, surgical incision, or vein where an IV needle was placed; or
- any bleeding that will not stop.
Common side effects may include:
- contractions that are more frequent;
- slow heartbeats in the baby;
- nausea, stomach pain;
- feeling of warmth in the vaginal area;
- back pain; or
- fever.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Read the entire detailed patient monograph for Prepidil (Dinoprostone Cervical Gel)
SLIDESHOW
16 Early Signs & Symptoms of Pregnancy: Could You Be Pregnant? See SlideshowSIDE EFFECTS
PREPIDIL Gel is generally well-tolerated. In controlled trials, in which 1731 women were entered, the following events were reported at an occurrence of ≥ 1%:
| Adverse Reaction | PGE2 (N = 884) |
Control* (N = 847) |
| Maternal | N (%) | N (%) |
| Uterine contractile abnormality | 58 (6.6) | 34 (4.0) |
| Any gastrointestinal effect | 50 (5.7) | 22 (2.6) |
| Back pain | 27 (3.1) | 0 (0) |
| Warm feeling in vagina | 13 (1.5) | 0 (0) |
| Fever | 12 (1.4) | 10 (1.2) |
| Fetal | ||
| Any fetal heart rate abnormality | 150 (17.0) | 123 (14.5) |
| Bradycardia Deceleration | 36 (4.1) | 26 (3.1) |
| Late | 25 (2.8) | 18 (2.1) |
| Variable | 38 (4.3 | 29 (3.4) |
| Unspecified | 19 (2.1) | 19 (2.2) |
| *placebo gel or no treatment | ||
In addition, in other trials amnionitis and intrauterine fetal sepsis have been associated with extraamniotic intrauterine administration of PGE2 . Uterine rupture has been reported in association with the use of PREPIDIL Gel intracervically. Additional events reported in the literature, associated by the authors with the use of PREPIDIL Gel, included premature rupture of membranes, fetal depression (1 min Apgar < 7), and fetal acidosis (umbilical artery pH < 7.15).
Post-Marketing Surveillance
Blood And Iymphatic System Disorders
An increased risk of post-partum disseminated intravascular coagulation has been described in patients whose labor was induced by pharmacological means, either with dinoprostone or oxytocin (see WARNINGS). The frequency of this adverse event, however, appears to be rare (<1 per 1,000 labors).
Immune System Disorders
Hypersensitivity reactions (e.g., Anaphylactic reaction, Anaphylactic shock, Anaphylactoid reaction).
Read the entire FDA prescribing information for Prepidil (Dinoprostone Cervical Gel)
© Prepidil Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Prepidil Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.
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