By Amy Orciari Herman
For women with pregnancies post-term, labor induction at 41 weeks’ gestation may be safer than waiting another week, according to a study in The BMJ.
Nearly 2800 women with low-risk singleton pregnancies at roughly 41 weeks’ gestation were randomized to either labor induction within 24 hours, or expectant management with induction at 42 weeks.
Incidence of the primary outcome — a composite of perinatal mortality and morbidity — did not differ significantly between the groups (2.2% with expectant management and 2.4% with induction). However, a secondary outcome — perinatal death alone — occurred more often with expectant management (6 cases vs. 0 with induction), and the trial was stopped early as a result.