WHO guidelines for labour induction

In developed countries, up to 25% of all deliveries at term now involve induction of labour, and the percentage is also growing in undeveloped countries.

The primary goal of these guidelines, produced by WHO's Department of Reproductive Health and Research, is to improve the quality of care and outcomes for pregnant women undergoing induction of labour in under-resourced settings. Aimed at obstetricians, midwives, general medical practitioners, health-care managers and public health policy-makers, this evidence-based guidance covers topics that were regarded as critical priority questions by an international, multidisciplinary group of health-care workers, consumers and other stakeholders. The main recommendation is that "induction of labour should be performed only when there is a clear medical indication for it and the expected benefits outweigh its potential harms."