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HSE National Clinical Guideline

National Clinical Guideline for Induction of Labour


Topic: Induction of labour
Document Owner: National Clinical Lead for Guideline Development in Maternity and Gynaecology Services, National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP)
National Group: Guideline Development Programme, National Women and Infants Health Programme
Effective From: 31/10/2023
This Guideline aims to provide evidence based recommendations for the care of women undergoing Induction of Labour, including methods, risks and criteria, as well as promoting a standardised approach nationally across all maternity hospital/ units.
National Clinical Guideline for Induction of Labour
PDF, 2.71MB

This National Clinical Practice Guideline provides an evidence-based, nationally standardised framework for induction of labour in maternity services.

It addresses clinical indications, counselling and shared decision-making, methods of cervical ripening and labour induction, appropriate care settings, and management of complications.

Recommendations encompass prolonged pregnancy, term prelabour rupture of membranes, previous caesarean birth and other individualised indications, while emphasising informed consent, maternal and fetal surveillance, and optimisation of women’s birth experience.

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