Inducing Labor Not Always Best Solution
Of the approximately 450 women giving birth for the first time, there were about 40 cesareans, 18 in the induced group and 21 in the spontaneous labor group. Among the approximately 680 women who had given birth previously, there were 27 cesareans -- 11 in the induced group and 16 in the spontaneous labor group.
When the investigators compared the costs of labors that ended in vaginal births, elective inductions averaged $273 more per patient. Those labors also involved an average of four more hours pre-delivery in the hospital than did the spontaneous labors.
It is important to understand that this study only looked at elective induction, as opposed to instances when induction is medically appropriate, according to experts in obstetrics.
"This study confirms what we seem to know about the increased likelihood of cesarean in first-timers being electively induced. In general, we try to avoid elective inductions, except in rare circumstances," says Edith Gurewitsch, MD. "When there is no medical reason for an induction, Nature is probably better than anything we could try." Gurewitsch, who is an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, was not involved in the study.
It is appropriate to induce labor when a woman -- or her baby -- has conditions that warrant a prompt delivery, says Martin November, MD, an attending obstetrician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and an instructor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School. This is in an important distinction, though.
"All things being equal, allowing Nature to take its course is almost always the best route," he says. November is also the medical director for the Beth Israel Deaconess midwifery practice.
Inducing Labor: Don't Force Mother Nature's Hand
Of the approximately 450 women giving birth for the first time, there were about 40 cesareans, 18 in the induced group and 21 in the spontaneous labor group. Among the approximately 680 women who had given birth previously, there were 27 cesareans -- 11 in the induced group and 16 in the spontaneous labor group.
When the investigators compared the costs of labors that ended in vaginal births, elective inductions averaged $273 more per patient. Those labors also involved an average of four more hours pre-delivery in the hospital than did the spontaneous labors.
It is important to understand that this study only looked at elective induction, as opposed to instances when induction is medically appropriate, according to experts in obstetrics.
"This study confirms what we seem to know about the increased likelihood of cesarean in first-timers being electively induced. In general, we try to avoid elective inductions, except in rare circumstances," says Edith Gurewitsch, MD. "When there is no medical reason for an induction, Nature is probably better than anything we could try." Gurewitsch, who is an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, was not involved in the study.
It is appropriate to induce labor when a woman -- or her baby -- has conditions that warrant a prompt delivery, says Martin November, MD, an attending obstetrician at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and an instructor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School. This is in an important distinction, though.
"All things being equal, allowing Nature to take its course is almost always the best route," he says. November is also the medical director for the Beth Israel Deaconess midwifery practice.
Vital Information:
- Inducing labor in a pregnant woman increases the chance the woman will require cesarean section.
- Elective inductions that do not result in cesarean sections cost more money per patient and require more pre-delivery time in the hospital, compared to spontaneous labors.
- There are times when a woman or her baby has a medical condition that warrants inducing labor, but otherwise women should be allowed to go into labor naturally.
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