Induction of labor compared to expectant management in low-risk women and associated perinatal outcomes.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to examine the association of labor induction and perinatal outcomes.


METHODS
This was a retrospective cohort study of low-risk nulliparous women with term, live births. Women who had induction at a given gestational age (eg, 39 weeks) were compared to delivery at a later gestation (eg, 40, 41, or 42 weeks).


RESULTS
Compared to delivery at a later gestational age, those induced at 39 weeks had a lower risk of cesarean (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.88-0.91) and labor dystocia (aOR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.84-0.94). Their neonates had lowered risk of having 5-minute Apgar <7 (aOR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72-0.92), meconium aspiration syndrome (aOR, 0.30; 95% CI, 0.19-0.48), and admission to neonatal intensive care unit (aOR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.78-0.97). Similar findings were seen for women who were induced at 40 weeks compared to delivery later.


CONCLUSIONS
Induction of labor in low-risk women at term is not associated with increased risk of cesarean delivery compared to delivery later.
Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, CA, USA.
Yvonne W
YW
Cheng
Anjali J
AJ
Kaimal
Jonathan M
JM
Snowden
James M
JM
Nicholson
Aaron B
AB
Caughey
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced; D007743:Labor, Obstetric; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult