Conclusions
In conclusion, our study demonstrates that in low-risk women induction of labor at 39 weeks gestation is not associated with any adverse effects on maternal or neonatal outcomes, but it is significantly associated with both lower frequencies of maternal and neonatal morbidity when compared to expectant management through 42 weeks. Thus, avoiding or delaying the induction of labor at or after 39 weeks gestation may not always be in the best interest of the mother nor the neonate. Based on our study and supported by a growing body of literature a careful discussion of current policies and a reconsideration of current standard clinical protocols aimed at the avoidance of induction of labor at 39 weeks gestation in low-risk women seems warranted.
Acknowledgements : We would like to thank the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Vital Statistics for the creation and maintenance of this freely accessible database.
Disclosures of interests: No conflicts of interest to declare.
Contribution to Authorship: SC and RY planned the study and obtained the necessary data. All authors (SCB, RY, MD, JR, SC) contributed to the analysis of the data and interpretation of results. SCB drafted the manuscript and all other authors assisted with editing of the manuscript. All authors have accepted it in its final form.
Details of Ethics Approval: This study is a national retrospective cohort analysis using data abstracted from the NCHS and CDC’s Division of Vital Statistics database. The data is publicly available and de-identified, therefore no patients were directly involved and no ethical approval was required.
Funding : None