Near the end of the third trimester, a woman's cervix will soften in order to begin the process of effacing (thinning and stretching) and dilating (opening up). An open cervix allows the baby to pass ...

Women who undergo balloon cervical ripening at home spend less time in the labor and delivery unit and have fewer cesarean deliveries than those who have the induction procedure in a hospital, ...

There is no significant difference in cesarean delivery rate or fetal harms (e.g., infection) with the use of prostaglandins in the outpatient setting compared with the inpatient setting. (Strength of ...

Induction of labor is common in obstetric practice. According to the most current studies, the rate varies from 9.5 to 33.7 percent of all pregnancies annually. In the absence of a ripe or favorable ...