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. 2012 Jun;206(6):486.e1-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2012.03.014. Epub 2012 Mar 23.

Induction of labor in a contemporary obstetric cohort

S Katherine Laughon  1 , Jun Zhang, Jagteshwar Grewal, Rajeshwari Sundaram, Julie Beaver, Uma M Reddy
Affiliations

Induction of labor in a contemporary obstetric cohort

S Katherine Laughon et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2012 Jun.

Abstract

Objective: We sought to describe details of labor induction, including precursors and methods, and associated vaginal delivery rates.

Study design: This was a retrospective cohort study of 208,695 electronic medical records from 19 hospitals across the United States, 2002 through 2008.

Results: Induction occurred in 42.9% of nulliparas and 31.8% of multiparas and elective or no recorded indication for induction at term occurred in 35.5% and 44.1%, respectively. Elective induction at term in multiparas was highly successful (vaginal delivery 97%) compared to nulliparas (76.2%). For all precursors, cesarean delivery was more common in nulliparas in the latent compared to active phase of labor. Regardless of method, vaginal delivery rates were higher with a ripe vs unripe cervix, particularly for multiparas (86.6-100%).

Conclusion: Induction of labor was a common obstetric intervention. Selecting appropriate candidates and waiting longer for labor to progress into the active phase would make an impact on decreasing the national cesarean delivery rate.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have a conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Cervical dilation at cesarean delivery
a. Preterm, 24 to < 37 weeks of gestation b. Term, 37 – 41 weeks of gestation. Figure legend. Cervical dilation at intrapartum cesarean delivery among nulliparous women with singleton gestations undergoing induction of labor by precursor category.
Figure 1
Figure 1. Cervical dilation at cesarean delivery
a. Preterm, 24 to < 37 weeks of gestation b. Term, 37 – 41 weeks of gestation. Figure legend. Cervical dilation at intrapartum cesarean delivery among nulliparous women with singleton gestations undergoing induction of labor by precursor category.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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