Induction of labor compared to expectant management in low-risk women and associated perinatal outcomes
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Published on: June 6, 2020
Yvonne W Cheng1, Anjali J Kaimal, Jonathan M Snowden
1Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California-San Francisco, CA, USA.
Objective:
We sought to examine the association of labor induction and perinatal outcomes.
Study Design:
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.
Conclusion:
Induction of labor in low-risk women at term is not associated with increased risk of cesarean delivery compared to delivery later.
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