Methods of induction of labor after cesarean with no prior vaginal delivery—Perinatal outcomes

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between the method of induction of labor (IOL) and perinatal outcomes, among women undergoing labor after cesarean (LAC) with no prior vaginal delivery. METHOD: A retrospective study including all women with no prior vaginal delivery undergoing IOL for LAC between March 2011 and January 2021. Oxytocin administration following prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM), oxytocin administration only, extra‐amniotic balloon, and amniotomy were compared. RESULTS: Overall, 363 women met the inclusion criteria: extra‐amniotic balloon (157, 43.3%), oxytocin following PROM (95, 26.2%), amniotomy (72, 19.8%), and oxytocin (39, 10.7%). LAC success rate did not differ among study groups (P = 0.114), varying between 62.1% and 79.5%. There were three uterine ruptures (0.8%) in the entire cohort. The rate of uterine rupture, postpartum hemorrhage, and the composite of both were similar in all study groups. Neonatal outcomes did not differ between study groups, with composite adverse neonatal outcomes varying between 7.4% in the oxytocin following PROM to 1.9% in the extra‐amniotic balloon group (P = 0.141). The following factors were independently associated with LAC success: taller maternal height, lower body mass index, earlier gestational age, and epidural analgesia. CONCLUSIONS: All examined IOL methods with an unfavorable cervix carried similar outcomes. The clinical practice should be individualized.