Induction of Labour: A Qualitative Study of the Patient Experience

To explore the patient experience and perception of induced labour.

This was a descriptive qualitative study using semi-structured telephone interviews. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Research team members used thematic analysis to identify and organize patterns in the data. The study was carried out in three academic family health teams in Toronto, Canada whose patients gave birth in a tertiary teaching hospital in Toronto. Participants were randomly approached from the 191 patients who experienced planned induced labours in 2021 under the care of family physicians at Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada. Randomization ensured variation in parity, method of induction and individual care provider.

Sixteen patients agreed to participate and 13 interviews were conducted. Six main themes emerged: (1) From expectation to reality: reconciling preconceptions with lived experience. (2) Anxiety about baby's health: a key contributor to decision-making. (3) Preserving patient autonomy: critical to agency and decision-making in induced labour. (4) Comprehensive information and timely communication: the foundation of a positive experience. (5) Trust as foundation: the role of patient-practitioner relationships in the induction experience. (6) Post-induction reflection: making meaning and moving forward.

Health care practitioners involved in the induction of labour can use these findings to reflect on their communication with patients to improve understanding of the indications for induction and methods available. Patients' experience of induction may be improved by supporting their autonomy, building trusting relationships and debriefing the birth experience postpartum.