OBJECTIVE To determine neonatal outcomes (perinatal mortality and special care unit admission) and maternal outcomes (mode of delivery, delivery complications) of elective induction of labour compared with expectant management. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study using an unselected population database. SETTING Consultant and midwife led obstetric units in Scotland 1981-2007. PARTICIPANTS 1...

In a prospective study of 1000 consecutive primigravidae labour was induced on 95 occasions. None of 16 perinatal deaths and none of 4 cases of suspected brain damage occurred after prolonged pregnancy or pre-eclampsia. It is concluded that a low incidence of induction is compatible with good results and that enthusiasm for the statistical concept of high risk in obstetric practice should be re...

IntrOductIOn Induction of labour is defined as stimulation of uterine contractions before they occur spontaneously and its prevalence has increased in the United States from 9.5% of births in 1990 to 22.1% of births in 2004 [1]. Although induction of labour has recently been on the rise for purposes of convenience or to accommodate busy schedules, the main reasons include prolonged pregnancies ...

The aim of the study was to compare the 2 management protocols for postterm pregnancy; elective induction of labour at 42 weeks' gestation and continuing the pregnancy with fetal monitoring while awaiting spontaneous labour. A retrospective observational study compared a cohort of 360 pregnancies where labour was induced with 486 controls. All pregnancies were postterm (>294 days) by an early u...