Concerns over induced childbirth

January 19, 2009 A Scottish audit of 17,000 births has been published in the Journal of Public Health. In more than a quarter of cases, researchers could not find a medical or other explanation for the procedure.

Doctors usually recommend induction when a woman is more than 41 weeks pregnant waters breaking but there is no onset of labor or because of complications.

Experts warn that more studies are needed to assess whether inductions are being done without reason.