Scheduled deliveries raise risks for mothers, do not benefit newborns, study finds
Friday, February 18, 2011 - 14:30
in Health & Medicine
Inducing labor without a medical reason is associated with negative outcomes for the mother, including increased rates of cesarean delivery, greater blood loss and an extended length of stay in the hospital, and does not provide any benefit for the newborn, according to a new study. As the number of scheduled deliveries continues to climb, it is important for physicians and mothers-to-be to understand the risks associated with elective induction. The new findings only apply to women having their first child, and may not pertain to women having their second or third child.