Patient Perspectives on Outpatient versus Inpatient Cervical Ripening for Induction of Labor.

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Patient Experience Research
• Quality Improvement Initiatives

Background:

• Cervical ripening is frequently used to induce labor.
• Increasing numbers of labor inductions present challenges to obstetric throughput.
• Patient-centered care models are essential for optimizing obstetric services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare patient-perceived control and experiences between outpatient and inpatient cervical ripening.
• To evaluate the impact of incorporating outpatient cervical ripening into routine practice.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective mixed-methods analysis of a quality improvement initiative.
• Comparison of Perceived Control in Childbirth Scale scores between outpatient and inpatient groups (n=74).
• Qualitative analysis of semistructured patient feedback using iterative thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in perceived control scores between outpatient (median 69) and inpatient (median 67) groups (p=0.49).
• Both groups reported high levels of perceived control.
• Pain was the most common theme; inpatients reported more distress, while outpatients utilized more distraction techniques.

Conclusions:

• Outpatient cervical ripening is a patient-centered approach that can address obstetric throughput challenges.
• Individual patient preferences are crucial in selecting the optimal setting for cervical ripening.
• Future improvements should focus on patient education and pain management strategies.