Outcome of induced labour in pregnancies at 41 weeks gestation and over in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

A retrospective, descriptive cohort study was conducted at King Faisal Military Hospital, Saudi Arabia, to compare pregnancy outcomes in patients induced with prostaglandin E2 from 41 weeks gestation. A total of 450 women whose antenatal care and delivery were conducted at the hospital during 1995-99 were studied. The main outcome measures used were caesarean section rate and perinatal morbidity and mortality. In otherwise normal pregnancies, the caesarean section rate was not significantly increased when induction of labour was carried out at 41 weeks gestation compared with ≤42 weeks. Although more perinatal complications occurred when induction was carried out at 42 weeks, the results were not statistically significant. A large prospective clinical trial is indicated.