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Previous: Hazards and Problems of Induction Agents Problems and Hazards of
Elective induction of labor, that is, induction for non-medical reasons such as convenience, exposes babies and mothers to the hazards of induction with no counter balancing benefit. Inducing labor for suspected big baby produces no benefits but increases the likelihood of cesarean section. (Ref. 12, 29) No credible evidence supports inducing labor in women with gestational — as opposed to pre-existing — diabetes. Routinely inducing labor for prelabor rupture of membranes does not reduce the incidence of newborn infection with the exception of women testing positive for Group B strep who do not receive IV antibiotics during labor. (Ref. 14) Inducing labor in women with Group B strep has not been shown to improve outcomes when antibiotics are given regardless of membrane status and is not part of the Centers for Disease Control recommended guidelines. (Ref. 4) Studies claiming to support routine induction of labor at 41 weeks of pregnancy have serious flaws. (Ref. 23) No research supports routine induction at any earlier point in pregnancy; no sound research supports routine induction at any point in pregnancy. Proponents of inducing labor at full-term argue that the stillbirth rate and the rates of other newborn complications increase markedly after that date, but, in fact, these rates show no such increase. (Ref 1, 23) Induction at 41 weeks in a hypothetical population of 100,000 first-time mothers would theoretically prevent 120 fetal deaths that would statistically occur in the ensuing week, but: (Ref 17)
Forty-one weeks is the median length of pregnancy in healthy first-time mothers. (Ref. 24) This means that one-half of such pregnancies will last longer than 41 weeks. If there is no reason to curtail the natural length of pregnancy, then there is no reason for measures such as stripping or sweeping membranes, which themselves introduce the possibility of risk. Next: Labor Induction Fact Sheet References
The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS), a United Nations recognized NGO, is a collaborative effort of numerous individuals, leading researchers, and more than 50 organizations representing over 90,000 members. Promoting a wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs, CIMS developed the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative in 1996. A consensus document that has been recognized as an important model for improving the healthcare and well being of children beginning at birth, the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative has been translated into several languages and is gaining support around the world.© 2003 by The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS). Permission granted to reproduce with complete attribution. Please contact us for a complementary copy of this fact sheet, P.O. Box 2346Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32004
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