Incidence of cesarean section among parturient women undergoing induced versus spontaneous labour per gestational weeks

Abstract

Objective: To explore incidence of cesarean section among parturient women undergoinginduced versus spontaneous labour per gestational weeks. Methods: An exploratory descriptivestudy was carried out at Labour and Delivery Ward at El Mansoura University Hospitals, Egypt.This study comprised a convenience sample of 100 pregnant women out of 130 randomizedwomen who were admitted to Delivery Ward with induced or spontaneous labour with multiparae, low risk women with no pregnancy or medical complications or prior cesarean section,with 37-42 gestational weeks, singleton pregnancies and in vertex position. They were randomlyassigned into two groups; a total of 60 women had an induction of labour and 40 went intospontaneous labour. Two tools were used: A structured interviewing questionnaire sheet was usedto collect the maternal and neonatal characteristics such as; maternal age, parity, newborn weightand labour assessment sheet was used to assess vaginal versus cesarean section incidenceaccording to onset of labour per gestational weeks and induction as well as augmentation methodsfor cesarean section. Results: Among 100 pregnancies that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, inducedlabour had more risk of cesarean section compared with spontaneous labour onset with statisticalsignificant(p<0.001 in x2 test; OR 6.00; 95% confidence interval 2.453 – 14.678).The highercaesarean section rate in the induction group was seen from (38-41) weeks. On the other hand, thehigher caesarean section rate was seen in the spontaneous group at 37 weeks and cervical ripeningwas the highest agent used in induced labour as well as oxytocin for spontaneous onset of labour.Conclusions and recommendation: In low risk multiparae women, induced labour has anincreased risk of cesarean section compared with spontaneous onset labour per gestational weeksparticularly when cervical ripening was required. Caesarean section incidence was higher in theinduction group than spontaneous labour, it was seen from (38-41) gestational weeks. It should beprompt further and larger studies of the effect of induction of labour and its methods on caesareansection rate per gestational weeks.