IMR Press / CEOG / Volume 49 / Issue 5 / DOI: 10.31083/j.ceog4905102
Open Access Original Research
Labor induction: change of indications and outcomes over time and future trends — a retrospective analysis
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1 Department of Perinatology, Faculty of Medicine University of Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
2 Department of Perinatology, University Medical Centre Maribor, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia
*Correspondence: faris.mujezinovic@ukc-mb.si (Faris Mujezinović)
These authors contributed equally.
Academic Editor: Paolo Ivo Cavoretto
Clin. Exp. Obstet. Gynecol. 2022, 49(5), 102; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.ceog4905102
Submitted: 7 October 2021 | Revised: 1 November 2021 | Accepted: 4 November 2021 | Published: 26 April 2022
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the results of induction of labor over time in order to identify future trends. Methods: Data were collected from a national database for University Medical Center Maribor on the pregnant women demographics, the indications for labor induction, the process of induction and delivery, and the outcomes of delivery for periods 2011‒14 and 2015‒18. Results: In the second period (2015‒18), the rate of labor induction increased (14.7% vs. 19.0%, p < 0.00001), pregnant women were older (29.7 years vs. 30.0 years, p = 0.0018), were more frequently monitored in tertiary hospitals during pregnancy (40.6% vs. 80.7%, p < 0.00001), had hypertension in pregnancy (5.4% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.0002), and oligohydramnios (9.6% vs. 6.9% , p = 0.007). During labor, amniotomies (60.3% vs. 53.7%, p = 0.0004), umbilical cord prolapses (1.2% vs. 0.1%, p = 0.0003), meconium amniotic fluids (12.7% vs. 8.8%, p = 0.0008), pathological CTG tracings (15.2% vs. 8.4%, p < 0.00001) were less frequent. There were less episiotomies (37.4% vs. 29.1%, p < 0.00001), vacuum extractions (4.2% vs. 2.8%, p = 0.049), while the rate of caesarean sections remained constant (15.0% vs. 16.6%, p = 0.23). Conclusions: There is a tendency toward increased induction of labor (IOL) rates, probably related to higher average age of women, but with better delivery outcomes. Our findings reflect local practice and cannot be generalized.

Keywords
postterm pregnancy
induction of labor
indications
outcomes
trends of induction
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