OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) assessed in cervical secretion can predict successful induction and spontaneous onset of labor in post-term pregnancy, compared to ultrasound measurement of cervical length and Bishop score. DESIGN Cohort study, originating from a randomized controlled trial. SETTING Obstetric department of a university and...

Review authors in the Cochrane Collaboration conducted a review of the effects of acupuncture to induce labor. After searching for all relevant studies, they found 14 studies with 2220 pregnant women who were overdue or needed to be induced. The findings of the review are summarized below.

Induction of labor is one of the most commonly performed obstetric procedures and will likely become more common as the reproductive population in developed nations changes. As the proportion of women undergoing induction grows, there is a constant search for more efficacious ways to induce labor while maintaining fetal and maternal safety as well as patient satisfaction. With almost half of in...

BACKGROUND By increased concerns about the accuracy of the traditional methods to predict outcomes after induction of labor, developing new standards has a great clinical importance. Here, we compared the predictive value of translabial ultrasound measurements with Bishop Score to determine the suitability of induction of labor. METHODS A homogenous population of primigravid women was recruit...

Objectives. To determine the impact of the implementation of new WHO diagnostic criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on prevalence, predictors, and perinatal outcomes in Croatian population. Methods. A cross-sectional study was performed using data from medical birth certificates collected in 2010 and 2014. Data collected include age, height, and weight before and at the end of preg...