Elective induction of labor: Ramathibodi Hospital (Jan-Jun, 1990).

To assess the outcome of elective induction of labor, 262 deliveries were studied retrospectively and compared with 249 controlled cases whose labor began spontaneously. Elective induction accounted for 61 per cent of all patients induced with the overall induction rate of 11 per cent. Sixty-two per cent of the private cases as opposed to 24 per cent of the nonprivate cases were induced before the expected date of confinement. Among private cases, the cesarean section rate was similar whether the patients were induced or admitted in spontaneous labor. However, when considering the nonprivate cases the cesarean section rate was twice as high if the patients were induced. Mean maternal height and fetal birth weight were similar in both the study and control groups but there were more cases of low birth weight infants in the study group. The fetal outcome as indicated by 5-minute Apgar score was not less than five in both groups.