Cervidil (Dinoprostone)
Complete patient guide for uses, dosage, side effects, and safety information
Prescription RequiredQuick Facts
What Is Cervidil Used For?
Cervidil is a medication used to prepare the birth canal in women who need labor induction after completing 37 weeks of pregnancy.
Primary Uses
Cervidil helps soften and open the cervix (the part of the birth canal) to allow the baby to pass through during delivery. It’s used when there are medical reasons to start labor artificially.
How It Works
Cervidil contains dinoprostone, also known as Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which occurs naturally in the body and plays an important role during childbirth. The pessary releases this hormone at a constant rate to gradually prepare the cervix for labor.
Good to know: The active ingredient in Cervidil occurs naturally in your body and has an important role during childbirth
How Cervidil Is Given
Cervidil must only be used in a hospital setting by healthcare professionals trained in pregnancy and childbirth care, with facilities for continuous monitoring available.
Administration Process
Your doctor or midwife will place one pessary next to your cervix while you’re lying down. The pessary is coated with lubricating jelly and has a withdrawal tape that remains outside the vagina for easy removal. You’ll need to stay lying down for about 30 minutes after insertion.
Duration of Treatment
The pessary can remain in place for up to 24 hours maximum, releasing dinoprostone continuously. Your healthcare team will decide when to remove it based on your progress, labor onset, or if side effects occur.
Important: Never attempt to remove the pessary yourself – only trained healthcare professionals should insert and remove Cervidil
Available Tablet Strengths
Side Effects
Like all medications, this medicine can cause side effects. Most are mild and temporary, but some require medical attention.
Common Side Effects
These side effects occur relatively frequently and usually don’t require emergency care:
- Headache
- Itching
- Burning sensation in genitals
- Fever
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Decreased blood pressure
- Swelling of genitals
Seek immediate medical attention if you experience:
- Increased or abnormal womb contractions
- Placenta detaching before baby delivery
- Heavy vaginal bleeding after delivery
- Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) with difficulty breathing, rapid pulse, dizziness, skin redness
- Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) – serious bleeding condition
- Anaphylactoid syndrome of pregnancy – rare condition causing shortness of breath, low blood pressure, seizures
- Baby distress signs (abnormal heart rate)
- Baby breathing difficulties after birth
- Baby jaundice (yellowing of skin and eyes)
Important Warnings
There are several important conditions and circumstances where Cervidil should not be used or requires special caution.
Who Should Not Use Cervidil
Do not use if you’re allergic to dinoprostone or urethane, have had previous womb surgery including caesarean section, have unexplained vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, are carrying multiple babies, have active genital herpes, placenta blocking the birth canal, baby’s head too large for vaginal delivery, baby not in normal birth position, untreated pelvic inflammatory disease, or if your baby is suspected to be unwell.
Medical Conditions to Discuss
Tell your doctor if you’ve had difficult deliveries, more than three full-term deliveries, heart or blood pressure problems, glaucoma, epilepsy, asthma, liver/lung/kidney disease, are over 35 or under 18, have pregnancy complications like gestational diabetes, or if your pregnancy has passed 40 weeks.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Cervidil is specifically used after 37 weeks of pregnancy to help start labor and should not be used at other pregnancy phases. Small amounts may pass into breastmilk briefly but shouldn’t interfere with breastfeeding, and no effects on breastfed newborns have been observed.
Hospital Only: Cervidil must only be used in a hospital with continuous monitoring facilities available for both mother and baby
Drug Interactions
Some medications can interfere with Cervidil and affect how it works, requiring careful timing and monitoring.
Critical Timing: You must not receive oxytocin or other labor-inducing drugs within 30 minutes of Cervidil administration
- Oxytocin and other labor-inducing medications (must not be given within 30 minutes)
- Aspirin
- NSAIDs (naproxen, diclofenac, ibuprofen)
Alcohol & Driving
Since Cervidil is administered in a hospital setting during labor preparation, alcohol consumption and driving are not applicable during treatment.
Alcohol
Not applicable – Cervidil is used in hospital setting during labor preparation.
Driving and Operating Machinery
Not applicable – patients remain in hospital under medical supervision during treatment.
Storage
Cervidil is stored in hospital freezers and removed immediately before use. Used pessaries are disposed of as clinical waste by the hospital.
Overdose Information
Use of a second pessary is not recommended as the effects have not been studied. Healthcare professionals monitor for excessive contractions and will remove the pessary if contractions become too strong, as this poses risks to both mother and baby including potential womb tearing and fetal distress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cervidil releases dinoprostone continuously while in place and can remain for up to 24 hours maximum. Your healthcare team will monitor your progress and remove it when your cervix has softened sufficiently or labor begins.
No, never attempt to remove the pessary yourself. Cervidil should only be inserted and removed by trained healthcare professionals.
Your doctor will remove Cervidil before giving other labor-inducing medications like oxytocin. There must be at least 30 minutes between Cervidil removal and other labor medications.
Yes, continuous monitoring of both you and your baby is required throughout treatment. You’ll be examined regularly for cervix opening, uterine contractions, and overall health.
Tell your doctor or midwife immediately if you experience nausea, vomiting, or feel unwell in any way. They may decide to remove the pessary if you have adverse effects.
Your baby will be continuously monitored during treatment. Possible effects include changes in heart rate, breathing difficulties after birth, or jaundice. Your healthcare team will watch for signs of distress and remove the pessary if needed.
Yes, when removed from the vagina, the pessary will have swollen to 2-3 times its original size and become pliable – this is normal as it absorbs moisture to release the medication.
Important Disclaimer
This information is intended for general educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or emergency services immediately.