Getting induced may not increase your risk for C-sections, says new study
For some women, getting induced at 39 weeks could be a new option.

For many pregnant women, getting induced is a last resort measure. Something doctors suggest when
your due date has come and gone but you're still as pregnant as ever. For other mothers, though, an
induction is a welcome way to bring baby into the world when mama is ready.
For years, women who've sought inductions without being overdue or having another medical need for
one have been told that the doing so would increase their chances of having a C-section, but the
authors of
a new study published in the
New England Journal of Medicine
say that's not the case.
The results of a clinical trial titled "A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management
(ARRIVE)", the study suggests choosing to induce labor does not increase the likelihood of a
C-section for healthy moms with low-risk pregnancies, but lowers the frequency of cesarean delivery
by about 3% in healthy, low-risk moms at 39 weeks, something that surprised researchers.
More than 6,000 pregnant people were involved in the study, which divided them into two groups. The
first had labor induced at 39 weeks and the other waited for labor to begin without interventions,
and were only induced if there was a medical reason to do so, like going overdue.
The study is good news for mothers who want to have the option of inducing labor on a day that
works for them, but some experts worry the results could be used to persuade pregnant women to opt
for medical interventions that wouldn't be their first choice.
"Welcoming a child into the world touches every aspect of your life. In an effort to increase
choice for women and offer truly holistic care, that takes into account the multifaceted reality of
parenthood, the recent findings from the ARRIVE trial are welcome—increased knowledge equals
increased options—at least it should," says Diana Spalding, a midwife, pediatric nurse and
Motherly's Digital Education Edit.or
Spalding says women may consider an elective induction of labor at 39 weeks for a variety of
social, emotional, and physical reasons, any of which should be respected as relevant and
important.
"It is her provider's responsibility to provide her with information and guidance in accordance
with research, and support her as she comes to the best decision for her. This study provides
additional information with which to support women," she continues. "However, the ARRIVE study also
generates concern, primarily that its findings can potentially be used as a generalized 'pass' on
all elective inductions without continuing to consider additional options, evidence, and risk."
For example for women seeking to lower the chances of having a cesarean section, the
American College of Nurse-Midwives
points out that there are a number of ways to do this beyond the scope of the ARRIVE trial—"a
recent
Cochrane Database Systematic Review
reported that if 14 women have continuous labor support, one cesarean birth can be prevented…
The ARRIVE trial reported that 28 women will have to undergo an elective induction to prevent a
single cesarean birth."