Of the 1744 low-risk women in the control group, labor was induced for 316 (18.1%). Among the latter, the indication was standard for 196 (62.0%) and non-standard for 120 (38.0%) (Table 1). The primary standard indications were post term pregnancy in 150 (76.5%) women, and premature rupture of membranes in 35 (17.8%) women. Non-standard indications were most often convenience inductions or inductions with no specified indication in 81 (67.5%) women (Table 1). The method of induction varied with the indication; in standard indications, the main method used was cervical ripening in 123 (62.8%) women, whereas oxytocin was mainly used for nonstandard inductions in
70 (58.3%) of women (p,0.01 for x2 test).
Neither the proportion of women with induced labor nor the indications and methods of induction varied significantly by the characteristics of the maternity units (status - university, other public, or private - and annual number of deliveries) (data not shown).