Outpatient labor induction-Exploring future potential by assessing eligibility in a historical cohort

© 2024 The Authors. Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology (NFOG)..

INTRODUCTION: Labor induction rates have increased over the last decades, and in many high-income countries, more than one in four labors are induced. Outpatient management of labor induction has been suggested in low-risk pregnancies to improve women's birth experiences while also promoting a more efficient use of healthcare resources. The primary aim of this paper was to assess the proportion of women in a historical cohort that would have been eligible for outpatient labor induction with oral misoprostol. Second, we wanted to report safety outcomes and assess efficacy outcomes for mothers and infants in pregnancies that met the criteria for outpatient care.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Criteria for outpatient labor induction with oral misoprostol were applied to a historical cohort of women with induction of labor at two Norwegian tertiary hospitals in the period January 1, through July 31, 2021. The criteria included low-risk women with an unscarred uterus expecting a healthy, singleton baby in cephalic position at term. The primary outcome was the proportion of women eligible for outpatient labor induction. Secondary outcomes included reasons for ineligibility and, for eligible women, safety and efficacy outcomes.

RESULTS: Overall, 29.7% of the 1320 women who underwent labor induction in a singleton term pregnancy met the criteria for outpatient labor induction. We identified two serious adverse events that potentially could have occurred outside the hospital if the women had received outpatient care. The mean duration from initiation of labor induction to administration of the last misoprostol was 22.4 h. One in 14 multiparous women gave birth within 3 h after the last misoprostol dose.

CONCLUSIONS: In this historical cohort, three in ten women met the criteria for outpatient management of labor induction with oral misoprostol. Serious adverse events were rare. The average time span from the initiation of labor induction to the last misoprostol was nearly 24 h. This suggests a potential for low-risk women with an induced labor to spend a substantial period of time at home before labor onset. However, larger studies testing or evaluating labor induction with oral misoprostol as an outpatient procedure are needed to draw conclusions.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - year:2024

Enthalten in:

Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica - (2024) vom: 19. März

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Marsdal, Kjersti Engen [VerfasserIn]
Sørbye, Ingvil Krarup [VerfasserIn]
Bernitz, Stine [VerfasserIn]
Sve, Ranveig Elise T [VerfasserIn]
Ask, Kristine [VerfasserIn]
Lukasse, Mirjam [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Birth
Induction of labor
Journal Article
Maternity care
Misoprostol
Obstetrics
Outpatient labor induction

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 20.03.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status Publisher

doi:

10.1111/aogs.14799

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM36994061X