The rising tide: Trends in induction of labor at term over a 5-year period at a single centre

Objective: Induction of labor (IOL) is a controversial topic in contemporary obstetric practice, with some suggesting that the increase in elective induction (eIOL) as a potential contributor to increasing cesarean delivery (CD) rates. The objectives of this single-center study were to examine the rates of IOL, trends in indications for IOL, and the contribution of IOL to the overall CD rate at one of Europe's largest obstetric hospitals.

Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study evaluated the outcomes of patients who were delivered following IOL from 2018 to 2022 inclusive at the largest obstetric hospital in Ireland.

Results: A total of 36 938 women (16 155 nulliparous and 20 783 multiparous) were delivered during the 5-year study period, of whom 8072 nulliparous and 6343 multiparous women underwent IOL. There was a significant increase in rates of induction, increasing from 42% to 57% (P <0.001) in nulliparous women, and from 27% to 33% (P < 0.001) in multiparous women. The highest contributions to the hospital CD rate were from those being induced for 'fetal' (5%), spontaneous rupture of membranes ('SROM') (4%), and 'maternal' (4%) reasons, with the lowest CD rates in the eIOL category (<1%) in both groups.

Conclusion: Our data confirm that the rate of IOL is increasing. The contribution of maternal and fetal reasons for IOL to the overall CD rate may reflect increasing numbers of higher-risk pregnancies. Despite current controversy regarding the role of eIOL, our data do not confirm a significant contribution to either the overall IOL or CD rates in this center.