J Clin Gynecol Obstet

Journal of Clinical Gynecology and Obstetrics, ISSN 1927-1271 print, 1927-128X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Gynecol Obstet and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://jcgo.elmerpub.com

Original Article

Volume 14, Number 4, December 2025, pages 161-166

Impact of Suspending Elective Inductions of Labor on Maternal and Fetal Outcomes

↓ **Table 1.** Patient Demographics and Pre-Labor Characteristics Stratified by Study Group
Demographic	Before policy change (n = 194)	After policy change (n = 192)	P
*P < 0.05. Data are presented as n (%) for categorical variables or mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables.
Race			0.246
White	99 (51.3)	85 (44.3)
Black	42 (22.3)	38 (19.8)
Asian	19 (9.8)	24 (12.5)
None of the above	32 (16.6)	45 (23.4)
Ethnicity			0.292
Hispanic	44 (22.7)	53 (27.6)
Not Hispanic	150 (77.3)	139 (72.4)
Age (years)	30.2 ± 5.0	30.1 ± 5.5	0.811
Body mass index (kg/m²)	32.6 ± 7.2	32.7 ± 5.9	0.929
Gravidity			0.472
1	61 (31.4)	70 (36.5)
2	65 (33.5)	57 (29.7)
3	35 (18.0)	27 (14.1)
4 or more	33 (17.0)	38 (19.8)
Parity			0.029*
1	88 (45.4)	105 (54.7)
2	67 (34.5)	43 (22.4)
3	28 (14.4)	25 (13.0)
4 or more	11 (5.7)	19 (9.9)
Gestational diabetes	17 (8.8)	20 (10.4)	0.608
Gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia	23 (11.9)	24 (12.5)	0.877
Chorioamnionitis	9 (4.6)	6 (3.1)	0.600
Gestational age	39.6 ± 0.5	39.7 ± 0.5	0.017*

↓ Table 1. Patient Demographics and Pre-Labor Characteristics Stratified by Study Group

Demographic

Before policy change (n = 194)

After policy change (n = 192)

*P < 0.05. Data are presented as n (%) for categorical variables or mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables.

Race

0.246

White

99 (51.3)

85 (44.3)

Black

42 (22.3)

38 (19.8)

Asian

19 (9.8)

24 (12.5)

None of the above

32 (16.6)

45 (23.4)

Ethnicity

0.292

Hispanic

44 (22.7)

53 (27.6)

Not Hispanic

150 (77.3)

139 (72.4)

Age (years)

30.2 ± 5.0

30.1 ± 5.5

0.811

Body mass index (kg/m²)

32.6 ± 7.2

32.7 ± 5.9

0.929

Gravidity

0.472

61 (31.4)

70 (36.5)

65 (33.5)

57 (29.7)

35 (18.0)

27 (14.1)

4 or more

33 (17.0)

38 (19.8)

Parity

0.029*

88 (45.4)

105 (54.7)

67 (34.5)

43 (22.4)

28 (14.4)

25 (13.0)

4 or more

11 (5.7)

19 (9.9)

Gestational diabetes

17 (8.8)

20 (10.4)

0.608

Gestational hypertension or pre-eclampsia

23 (11.9)

24 (12.5)

0.877

Chorioamnionitis

9 (4.6)

6 (3.1)

0.600

Gestational age

39.6 ± 0.5

39.7 ± 0.5

0.017*

↓ **Table 2.** Labor Outcomes Stratified by Study Group
Outcome	Before policy change (n = 194)	After policy change (n = 192)	P
*P < 0.05. Data are presented as n (%) for categorical variables or mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables. h: hours; Hb: hemoglobin.
Type of labor onset			0.287
Spontaneous	63 (32.5)	73 (38.0)
Induced	131 (67.5)	119 (62.0)
Type of delivery			0.887
Vaginal	166 (85.6)	163 (84.9)
Cesarean	28 (14.4)	29 (15.5)
Periurethral laceration	30 (15.5)	31 (16.1)	0.890
Cervical laceration	6 (3.1)	5 (2.6)	1.000
Perineal laceration			0.643
First degree	38 (19.6)	36 (18.8)
Second degree	62 (32.0)	71 (37.0)
Third or fourth degree	6 (3.1)	8 (4.2)
Estimated blood loss (mL)	412.0 ± 464.1	370.1 ± 349.9	0.323
Postpartum hemorrhage	24 (12.4)	22 (11.5)	0.875
Post-delivery Hb < 10 g/dL	91 (47.6)	85 (44.7)	0.608
Blood transfusion	10 (5.2)	2 (1.0)	0.036*
Wound infection	2 (1.0)	3 (1.6)	0.684
Meconium-stained amniotic fluid	27 (13.9)	32 (16.7)	0.482
Time spent on labor and delivery (h)	20.8 ± 13.0	20.6 ± 11.7	0.800
Increased length of stay	62 (32.1)	59 (30.7)	0.826

↓ Table 2. Labor Outcomes Stratified by Study Group

Outcome

Before policy change (n = 194)

After policy change (n = 192)

*P < 0.05. Data are presented as n (%) for categorical variables or mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables. h: hours; Hb: hemoglobin.

Type of labor onset

0.287

Spontaneous

63 (32.5)

73 (38.0)

Induced

131 (67.5)

119 (62.0)

Type of delivery

0.887

Vaginal

166 (85.6)

163 (84.9)

Cesarean

28 (14.4)

29 (15.5)

Periurethral laceration

30 (15.5)

31 (16.1)

0.890

Cervical laceration

6 (3.1)

5 (2.6)

1.000

Perineal laceration

0.643

First degree

38 (19.6)

36 (18.8)

Second degree

62 (32.0)

71 (37.0)

Third or fourth degree

6 (3.1)

8 (4.2)

Estimated blood loss (mL)

412.0 ± 464.1

370.1 ± 349.9

0.323

Postpartum hemorrhage

24 (12.4)

22 (11.5)

0.875

Post-delivery Hb < 10 g/dL

91 (47.6)

85 (44.7)

0.608

Blood transfusion

10 (5.2)

2 (1.0)

0.036*

Wound infection

2 (1.0)

3 (1.6)

0.684

Meconium-stained amniotic fluid

27 (13.9)

32 (16.7)

0.482

Time spent on labor and delivery (h)

20.8 ± 13.0

20.6 ± 11.7

0.800

Increased length of stay

62 (32.1)

59 (30.7)

0.826

↓ **Table 3.** Logistic Regression for Factors Impacting Cesarean Delivery Rates
Variable	Unadjusted OR	95% CI	Adjusted OR	95% CI
Time spent on labor and delivery was right-skewed, so a natural log transformation was used to produce a normal distribution to satisfy parameters for inclusion in the regression model. BMI: body mass index; OR: odds ratio; CI: confident interval.
Policy restricting elective induction of labor	1.055	0.601 - 1.852	1.183	0.641 - 2.183
Maternal age (per year)	1.047	0.992 - 1.106	1.078	1.014 - 1.145
Maternal BMI (per unit)	1.074	1.032 - 1.116	1.066	1.021 - 1.114
Chorioamnionitis	7.519	2.604 - 21.739	5.102	1.524 - 16.949
Natural log of time spent on labor and delivery	3.425	1.961 - 6.803	2.793	1.520 - 5.128

↓ Table 3. Logistic Regression for Factors Impacting Cesarean Delivery Rates

Variable

Unadjusted OR

95% CI

Adjusted OR

95% CI

Time spent on labor and delivery was right-skewed, so a natural log transformation was used to produce a normal distribution to satisfy parameters for inclusion in the regression model. BMI: body mass index; OR: odds ratio; CI: confident interval.

Policy restricting elective induction of labor

1.055

0.601 - 1.852

1.183

0.641 - 2.183

Maternal age (per year)

1.047

0.992 - 1.106

1.078

1.014 - 1.145

Maternal BMI (per unit)

1.074

1.032 - 1.116

1.066

1.021 - 1.114

Chorioamnionitis

7.519

2.604 - 21.739

5.102

1.524 - 16.949

Natural log of time spent on labor and delivery

3.425

1.961 - 6.803

2.793

1.520 - 5.128

↓ **Table 4.** Neonatal Outcomes Stratified by Study Group
Outcome	Before policy change (n = 194)	After policy change (n = 192)	P
Data are presented as n (%) for categorical variables or mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables. NICU: neonatal intensive care unit.
Birth weight (g)	3,422.5 ± 406.6	3,412.0 ± 414.8	0.801
NICU admission	6 (3.1)	7 (3.6)	0.786
Birth injury	1 (0.5)	1 (0.5)	1.000
Phototherapy	1 (0.5)	0 (0)	1.000
Apgar < 7	21 (10.9)	13 (6.8)	0.208
Apgar < 3	5 (2.6)	3 (1.6)	0.724
Neonatal death	0 (0)	0 (0)	1.000

↓ Table 4. Neonatal Outcomes Stratified by Study Group

Outcome

Before policy change (n = 194)

After policy change (n = 192)

Data are presented as n (%) for categorical variables or mean ± standard deviation for continuous variables. NICU: neonatal intensive care unit.

Birth weight (g)

3,422.5 ± 406.6

3,412.0 ± 414.8

0.801

NICU admission

6 (3.1)

7 (3.6)

0.786

Birth injury

1 (0.5)

1.000

Phototherapy

1 (0.5)

0 (0)

1.000

Apgar < 7

21 (10.9)

13 (6.8)

0.208

Apgar < 3

5 (2.6)

3 (1.6)

0.724

Neonatal death

0 (0)

1.000