THE EFFECT OF CASTOR OIL ON THE INDUCTION OF LABOR: A CLINICAL TRIAL

Background & Aims: One of the non-drug methods of induction of labor is the castor oil. Despite the wide use of castor oil in the profession of midwifery, few studies regarding its efficacy and safety have been reported. This study was conducted to determine the effect of castor oil on labor pain. Materials & Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was performed on 100 pregnant women. Samples were randomly divided into two groups. The case group was given 60 ml of castor oil and the control group received nothing. Then the onset of labor and mode of delivery were studied by using Chi square and Fisher exact tests. Results: The results showed although the normal delivery in case group was slightly higher than control group, but no significant correlation was found between the two groups (P= 0/21). The number of women with uterine contractions in the case group was higher than control group, but the chi square test did not detect significant differences between the two groups (P=0/07). Conclusion: According to these findings, castor oil is not considered as a definitive method for onset of labor at delivery term