Labor Induction Guide Improves Patient Satisfaction in Randomized Trial

Labor induction uses medications or other methods to start labor, but patients may encounter information that conflicts with clinical guidance. This misinformation can create confusion and mistrust when important care decisions must be made. If labor slows or stalls, the risks of infection, hemorrhage, and emergency cesarean delivery can increase. Researchers have now developed a labor guide designed to provide clearer information and support informed decision-making.

Clinicians at the Oregon Health & Science University Center for Women’s Health (Portland, OR, USA) developed the labor guide for patients undergoing induction. It explains why induction may be recommended and describes the goals of labor management, including vaginal delivery when possible and reducing risks to the patient and baby. In plain language, it describes interventions used at different stages of labor, when they may be offered, and their potential benefits and risks.

The guide was evaluated in Patient Empowerment and Agency through Intrapartum Counseling and Education* (PEAICE), a randomized controlled trial involving more than 200 pregnant patients undergoing induction. Participants received either the guide or standard intrapartum counseling, which typically consisted of verbal consultation with clinicians. A survey administered less than a week after delivery found significantly higher perceived self-control and satisfaction among patients who received the guide. The study was published in Pregnancy on September 24, 2026.

The findings concern patients’ reported experience; effects on obstetric and neonatal outcomes have not yet been determined. The clinical team plans to introduce the guides across its labor and delivery unit and adapt them into multiple languages. Researchers also plan to collect further data on whether the approach affects those outcomes.

“A significant benefit to this approach is its accessibility. There's so much information to process when you're preparing for childbirth. When patients verbally communicate with a clinician, they might not be able to recall certain details or may think of questions later. With the labor guide, they can really take time to digest the information, discuss it with their support person, and feel prepared to bring any questions or concerns to their care team to make an informed, shared decision,” said Fei Cai, M.D., assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine.

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