Background: Post-date pregnancy is associated with increased perinatal morbidity and mortality. Therefore post-date pregnancy is considered as a high-risk condition which requires specialist surveillance and induction of labor at some stage
Purpose: to evaluate if a policy of induction of labor at 41 GW is superior, in terms of neonatal and maternal outcomes, as compared to expectant management in healthy women with a low risk singleton pregnancy.
Materials and Methods: a case control study. The study included 2 groups: group 1 (n = 50) including women who awaited for spontaneous labor till 42 weeks (expectant management); group 2 (n=50) including women who had induction of labor at 41+0 to 41+6 weeks.
Results: This study shows that MAS occurred in significantly more neonates in the expectant group as compared to the induction group. There were no significant differences between the two groups regarding APGAR score and other perinatal outcomes. Also, This study shows that the rate of CS was significantly higher in the induction group than in expectant group, also the need for analgesia was significantly higher in the induction group as compared to the expectant group.
Conclusion: it can be concluded that induction of labor at 41 completed weeks carries no increased risk of perinatal mortality or morbidity when compared to expectant management until 42 completed weeks. The policy of labor induction may be associated with an increase rate of CS and the need for analgesia.
Keywords: Post-date pregnancy – Induction of labor – post-Term pregnancy