Skip Navigation

Strengthen the Evidence for Maternal and Child Health Programs

Sign up for MCHalert eNewsletter

Search Results: MCHLine

Items in this list may be obtained from the sources cited. Contact information reflects the most current data about the source that has been provided to the MCH Digital Library.


Displaying records 1 through 13 (13 total).

Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center. 2024. Achieving person-centered care for routine labor induction. Chapel Hill, NC: Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center, 16 pp.

Annotation: This guide provides detailed instructions for implementing a multilingual, person-centered decision aid for routine labor induction in prenatal care settings. It presents both web-based and paper versions of a decision support tool developed by Partner to Decide, a nonprofit organization, with funding from the Maternal Health Learning and Innovation Center. The guide outlines implementation options, necessary resources, and evaluation strategies for healthcare providers adopting the tool, which supports shared decision-making for pregnant people considering labor induction between 39-42+ weeks with no medical indication. It includes step-by-step quality improvement processes, example workflow charts, sample medical record documentation language, and strategies for addressing common implementation challenges. The document contains substantial appendices with worksheets for systems analysis and example implementation flowcharts to help healthcare settings customize the tool's adoption to their specific needs.

Keywords: Decision making, Induced labor, Labor, Models, Patient care, Patient education, Patient satisfaction, Prenatal care

Santoro KL. 2014. Born too early: Improving maternal and child health by reducing early elective deliveries. Washington, DC: National Institute for Health Care Management Foundation, 10 pp. (NIHCM Foundation issue brief)

Annotation: This brief discusses the health risks and costs associated with early elective deliveries (EED),federal and national initiatives to support full-term pregnancies, and health plan and health plan foundation approaches to reducing EED. Topics include the potential negative health consequences of EED; average payments for maternal and newborn care and payment reform; and hospital, provider, patient, and member education initiatives. [Funded by the Maternal and Child Health Bureau]

Keywords: Adverse effects, Cesarean section, Childbirth, Costs, Federal initiatives, Foundations, Health education, Health plans, Induced labor, Intervention, National initiatives, Pregnant women, Program improvement, Reimbursement

National Quality Forum. 2014. Playbook for the successful elimination of early elective deliveries. Washington, DC: National Quality Forum, 27 pp.

Annotation: This document provides guidance on and strategies for reducing rates of early elective delivery (EED). Topics include the current landscape for eliminating EED, barriers to reducing EED and strategies to overcome them, challenges and barriers to monitoring performance and progress toward eliminating EED, key strategies to promote readiness for EED activities, and measurement guidance. Additional contents include educational tools, resources, and exemplars to support EED elimination efforts, as well as instructions for accessing relevant data.

Keywords: Barriers, Cesarean section, Childbirth, Hospitals, Induced labor, Measures, Obstetrical care, Policy development, Program improvement, Quality assurance

National Child and Maternal Health Education Program. 2013. Initiative to Reduce Elective Deliveries Before 39 weeks of Pregnancy: Is it worth it?. [Rockville, MD]: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 1 video (4 min., 10 sec.).

Annotation: This video for consumers explains why it's important to mother and baby's health to wait at least 39 weeks of pregnancy to deliver if the mother or child's health is not in danger. The video is available in a full-length version (4 min.,10 seconds), as well as 60-and 30-second versions. The initiative web page provides additional information for moms to be and for health professionals, including tools to help spread the word such as an infographic, ecards, and badges to put on a personal web site, blog, or organizational web site.

Keywords: Childbirth, Gestational age, Induced labor, National initiatives, Pregnancy complications, Pregnancy outcome, Risk factors

Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. [2011]. 40 reasons to go the full 40: Nobody likes to be rushed—especially babies!. Washington, DC: Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, 1 p.

Annotation: This fact sheet explains why it is important to carry a baby to full term (40 weeks) and reminds pregnant women that labor should be induced for medical reasons only -- not for convenience. The fact sheet lists 40 different reasons to carry a baby to full term, including the health benefits to both the mother and baby, the reduction in health risks, and the ways in which expectant parents can enjoy the time before the birth of their baby.

Keywords: Induced labor, Infant health, Perinatal care, Pregnancy outcome

Childbirth Connection. 2011. Induction of labor: What you need to know about induction of labor. [New York, NY]: Childbirth Connection, 4 pp.

Annotation: This electronic resource for pregnant women provides information about induction of labor, including answers to the following questions: (1) How can I lower my chances of being induced unnecessarily; (2) What normally causes labor to begin? (3) What is the safest point in pregnancy for the baby to be born? and (4) Why are so many women experiencing induced labor? The resource also describes reasons why caregivers might recommend induction of labor; provides best evidence related to the induction of labor (including common "reasons" for induction that are not supported by rigorous research); and tips and tools to help pregnant women reduce their risk of being induced or having the best possible outcome if induction is called for. A quick fact sheet about the induction of labor and the results of the Childbirth Connection's Listening to Mothers survey of women who gave birth in hospitals in 2005 can be downloaded from the website.

Keywords: Consumer education materials, Induced labor, Pregnant women, Risk factors

Childbirth Connection. 2011. Quick facts about induction of labor. [New York, NY]: Childbirth Connection, 2 pp.

Annotation: This fact sheet for pregnant women provides answers to the following questions about induced labor: (1) What is the safest point in pregnancy for the baby to be born? (2) How may induction of labor affect my health, my baby's health, or my birth experience? (3) When is it beneficial to induce labor? (4) What common "reasons" for induction are not supported by rigorous research? (5) How can I lower my chances of being induced unnecessarily? and (6) Where can I learn more? The information is adapted from the Childbirth Connection's web-based resource on induction of labor.

Keywords: Consumer education materials, Induced labor, Pregnant women, Risk factors

California HealthCare Foundation. 2011. Elective childbirth procedures in California: A close-up of geographic variation. Oakland, CA: California HealthCare Foundation, 12 pp.

Annotation: This report is part of a series that examine the rates at which 13 elective procedures are delivered in different communities across the state of California. The report examines the geographic variation in elective childbirth procedures, including elective induction, cesarian sections (C-sections), and vaginal birth after cesarian (VBAC). Each procedure is defined, and the risks and benefits are addressed. Comparative statistics on the rate and type of elective procedures performed in each of the state's hospital service areas (HSAs) is presented in table format. The data is from the period 2005-2009 and is based on the patients’ place of residence.

Keywords: California, Cesarian section, Childbirth, Geographic regions, Induced labor, Infant health, Reproductive health, State surveys, Vaginal birth after Cesarian section, Women's health

Risser A, King V, Davis E, Schechter M, Hickam D. 2010, 2009. Thinking about inducing your labor: A guide for pregnant women. Rockville, MD: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 3 items. (Effective health care program)

Annotation: This guide is designed to help pregnant women talk with their health care professional about elective induction of labor. It helps answer these questions: (1) What is elective induction? (2) What are the possible problems with elective induction? And (3) What don't we know yet about elective induction? Included are important things to consider and questions to ask your doctor or midwife. The guide does not cover labor induction for medical reasons. It is a companion publication to the clinician's guide, Elective Induction of Labor. The guide is available in English and Spanish. An audio (MP3) version and other related publications are also available.

Keywords: Audiovisual materials, Childbirth, Consumer education materials, Induced labor, Infant health, Pregnancy, Pregnancy outcome, Reproductive health, Spanish language materials, Women's health

U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Effective Health Car Program. 2009, 2010. Thinking about having your labor induced?: A guide for pregnant women. Rockville, MD: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 9 pp.

Annotation: This brochure provides information to help pregnant women make informed choice about whether to have labor induced for non-medical reasons. The brochure explains what elective induction is, reviews possible problems, and discusses what is not yet known about elective induction. Topics also include why women might and might not want to induce labor, changes during labor, when it is not safe to induce labor, and Cesarean section. Things for pregnant woman to think about and questions for them to ask their doctor or midwife are also included. It is available in English and Spanish.

Keywords: Cesarean section, Childbirth, Childbirth education, Consumer education materials, Induced labor, Pregnant women, Prevention, Spanish language materials

Caughey AB, Sundaram V, Kaimal AJ, Cheng YW, Gienger A, Little SE, Lee JF, Wong L, Shaffer BL, Tran SH, Padula A, McDonald KM, Long EF, Owens DK, Bravata DM. 2009. Maternal and neonatal outcomes of elective induction of labor. Rockville, MD: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, ca. 250 pp. (Evidence report/technology assessment; no. 176)

Annotation: This report provides information about the outcomes of elective induction of labor. The report discusses four key questions: (1) what evidence describes the maternal risks of elective induction vs. expectant management?, (2) what evidence describes the fetal/neonatal risks of elective induction vs. expectant management?, (3) what is the evidence that certain physical conditions/patient characteristics are predictive of a successful induction of labor?, and (4) how is a failed induction defined? Methods, results, and conclusions are provided.

Keywords: Childbirth, Induced labor, Infant health, Pregnancy, Reproductive health, Women's health

Risser A, King V, Davis R, Schechter M, Hickam D. 2009. Elective induction of labor: Safety and harms—Clinician's guide. Rockville, MD: U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 4 pp. (Effective health care program)

Annotation: This guide for clinicians summarizes clinical evidence comparing the safety of elective induction of labor at term with expectant management (waiting for spontaneous labor in a term pregnancy). The guide offers information about maternal and fetal outcomes when elective induction of labor is used and discusses the potential for harms and benefits. It does not address induction of labor for medical indications, nor does it compare the effectiveness of different labor induction methods. The source material for the guide is based on a systematic review of research studies published between 1964 and 2007.

Keywords: Childbirth, Induced labor, Infant health, Pregnancy outcome, Reproductive health, Women's health

Guttmacher A, Spong C, Lamp J, Murthy K, Moore A. Raising awareness: Late preterm birth and non-medically indicated inductions prior to 39 weeks. Bethesda, MD: National Child and Maternal Health Education Program,

Annotation: This continuing education activity for obstetricians, neonatologists, pediatricians, nurses, midwives, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialist, general practitioners, and family medicine clinicians discusses the challenges associated with the diagnosis and management of late preterm birth. Topics include the factors contributing to the rising rate of late preterm births and non-medically indicated inductions prior to 39 weeks, the potential short- and long-term consequences of births occurring between 34 and 38 weeks' gestation, and best practice, evidence-based guidelines for delivery prior to 39 weeks.

Keywords: Adverse effects, Childbirth, Continuing education, Diagnosis, Induced labor, Infants, Model programs, Patient care management, Pregnant women, Preterm birth

   

The MCH Library is one of six special collections at Georgetown University, the nation's oldest Jesuit institution of higher education. The library is supported through foundation, private, university, state, and federal funding. This information or content and conclusions are those of the authors and should not be construed as the official position or policy of, nor should any endorsements be inferred by Georgetown University or the U.S. Government. Note: web pages whose development was supported by federal government grants are being reviewed to comply with applicable Executive Orders.