Outpatient Cervical Ripening: Where are we?

To provide an appraisal of current evidence regarding outpatient cervical ripening and proposed guidelines for implementation.

Numerous meta-analyses and systematic reviews published during the last several years have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of outpatient cervical ripening using both mechanical as well as pharmacologic methods. Data comparing these two methods against each other is lacking. Guidelines regarding safe models of care are also lacking within each category. More research is needed to explore these knowledge gaps.

Outpatient cervical ripening has been proven in multiple randomized control trials (RCT) to be equally efficacious to inpatient cervical ripening, potentially more cost effective, safe, and without difference in maternal or fetal outcomes when the appropriate candidate and appropriate regimen is chosen.