title: Delivery route following elective induction of labor at term: analysis of 807 patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to compare mode of delivery for both nulliparous and multiparous women at term that underwent elective induction of labor to those who arrived in spontaneous labor.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 807 deliveries were reviewed. There were 566 labor patients and 241 elective induction patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women who underwent elective induction of labor were more likely to undergo cesarean delivery compared to those women who arrived in spontaneous labor (41.1% versus 9.9%, P = 0.001). This was true for both nulliparous women (49% versus 31%, P < 0.0001), and multiparous women (22.7% versus 1.6%, P < 0.0001). The rate of operative vaginal delivery was also increased in the elective induction of labor group (8.4% versus 3.6%, P < 0.0001). Operative vaginal delivery was statistically significant in multiparous women (21% versus 4.1%, P < 0.0001), but not in nulliparous women (10.1% versus 9.8%, P = NS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elective induction of labor at term is associated with an increased risk of cesarean section in both nulliparous and multiparous women. There is also an increased risk of an operative vaginal delivery in multiparous women who underwent elective induction of labor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Meghan I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Rattigan
authors.forename: Andrew L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Jonathan D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Baum
keywords: Cesarean section; Elective induction; Operative delivery