Rate of Failed Induction of Labor at a Single Academic Medical Center in Saudi Arabia: A 10 Year Experience - Abstract
Failed induction of labor (IOL) often necessitates cesarean section (CS), which is associated with serious obstetric complications. However, there are no updated studies about the factors associated with and complications of failed IOL in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this retrospective study reviews the hospital records of 127 cases of failed IOL followed by emergency CS from King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, over a 10-year period (May 2012 to June 2022). The study included 127 pregnant women, who comprised 1.13% of 11238 CS cases and 4.9% of 2582 IOL cases. Preeclampsia (44, 34.65%) and post-date pregnancy (24, 18.90%) were the most common indications for IOL. Nulliparous women were the dominant group (88, 69.29%), and prostaglandin E1 was the most commonly used induction agent (98, 77.17%). Postpartum hemorrhage was the most common maternal complication (5, 3.94%), and neonatal intensive care unit admission (17, 24.41%) and low pH (26, 20.47%) were the most common fetal outcomes. The findings indicate that IOL is safe as long as it is performed based on the standards of care and available evidence.