A review of trials comparing induction of labour with expectant management has concluded that evidence is lacking for the recommendation to induce labour at 41 weeks instead of 42 weeks for the improvement of perinatal outcome.
In modern Western culture, most women know about induction of labour before they even become pregnant. They know that it is suggested when it is felt that it would be safer for the baby to be born than to stay…
I am so happy to be able to announce the launch of the revised and updated second edition of Inducing Labour: making informed decisions, a book which helps parents, professionals and others to understand the process and the evidence relating…
I have two pieces of news to share today! First, a new, shiny, updated version of my book Inducing Labour: making informed decisions launched on Thursday, 10th May! The new version includes discussion of new research, practice-related issues and thinking…
The subjects of ‘post-term’ pregnancy and induction of labour have been close to my heart for a long while, and were the topic of my PhD thesis (2008). This post lists all of the resources on this topic that are…
A study has looked at birthing outcomes of 323 women who used castor oil as part of an attempt to induce their labour, with interesting results. The study was carried out in the US where, in contrast to countries like…
I love it when people remind me of brilliant ideas and analogies that I had forgotten. A couple of weeks ago, one of my post-term pregnancy online course participants reminded me of the wonderful and well-loved midwife Mary Cronk’s analogy…
Two more research studies have added to the concern that women who undergo induction of labour are more likely to end up with a caesarean section than if their labour began naturally. The first, an analysis of the outcomes of…
“Many individuals do not behave according to statistical means, and population models will fit them poorly.” – J Christopher Glantz This quote is taken from a paper that I chose as my ‘study of the month’ in the February…
A study published in Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica might be helpful to women who are frustrated by the discrepancy between their own due date (as calculated by the date of their last period) and that calculated through ultrasound scanning.…