Outpatient Foley Catheter Compared to Usual Inpatient Care for Labor Induction
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2017-06-08
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Induction of labor, or causing labor to start before it otherwise starts spontaneously, is
sometimes necessary as pregnancy progresses to ensure the safety of both mother and infant.
Labor induction often begins with cervical ripening, in which various methods are used to
prepare the cervix for contractions and labor. Cervical ripening is beneficial and decreases
the need for cesarean section; however, it can be a lengthy process. By tradition, pregnant
women are admitted to the hospital at the start of this process and remain inpatient until
after the baby is born.
There is increasing interest in allowing the mother to return to her own home during the very
first part of this process. She may be more satisfied in a more comfortable environment with
her family. Growing scientific evidence supports use of the Foley catheter as an approach to
outpatient cervical ripening. The Foley catheter is a safe, effective method that is already
used often in the inpatient setting. It does not cause increased health risks for either
mother or baby. Previous research studies have shown that it is just as safe and effective
when women return to their own homes with a Foley catheter and that women spend less time in
the hospital before delivery. More information is needed before this becomes a standard of
care. This research study will allow pregnant women to return home for the first night of
their labor induction with a Foley catheter in place. In the morning they will return to the
hospital and stay until after delivery. They will be compared to a group of women who remain
in the hospital for their entire labor induction. The benefits to going home during labor
induction may include increasing maternal satisfaction and optimizing the use of resources in
the hospital.