A Prospective Comparative Study in Successful Induction of Labour in Primigravida in Relation to their Body Mass Index

Background and objective: Induction of labour is considered when the benefits of prompt delivery outweigh the risk of expecting the natural onset of labour. Over recent decades, more pregnant women around the world have undergone induction of labour, especially those with high body mass index. Thus, this study aimed to determine the success rate of induction of labour in primigravida women in relation to their body mass index. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional was conducted on 100 primigravida women who attended the Sulaimani Maternity Teaching Hospital, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq, from May 2022 to May 2023, using a simple random sampling method. Their gestational age was calculated with first-trimester ultrasound. Then, a validated questionnaire was used to record their basic/clinical data. Consequently, labour was induced with either misoprostol or oxytocin. Finally, the mode of delivery was compared with maternal age, Bishops score and body mass index. Results: The mean age of studied pregnant women was 28.43 ± 6.09 years. Most of them aged 20-30 years (60%), had normal weight (72%), took misoprostol (72%), and had normal vaginal delivery (59%). The maternal age was not significantly correlated to the success of induction of labour (P>0.05), while Bishop score/body mass index was highly significant (P<0.001), and induction of labour was significantly (P=0.011) associated with the mode of delivery among primigravida women. Conclusions: Body weight, Bishop score and type of labour induction directly played a role in successful expected vaginal delivery, while maternal age did not.