Abstract

Objective: To examine how labor induction is linked to the child-birth experience and to assess differences in maternal and newborn outcomes in the two groups.
Methodology: The cross-sectional analytical study took place from January to July 2024 at a tertiary healthcare center in Pakistan and included 101 women delivering at term. Primiparous and multiparous women were included. All participants were divided into two different groups: induced labor (n=62) and spontaneous onset (n=39). We used the Childbirth Experience Questionnaire (CEQ) to collect data on age, gestational age, labor duration, use of analgesia, mode of delivery and CEQ scores. To look for associations, Chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests were used, with a p-value50), than those with induced labor (p=0.001). No statistical differences were found in the rates of both cesarean sections and neonatal intensive care unit admissions. There were fewer cases of labor augmentation and more satisfaction among mothers who had spontaneous labor. CEQ scores were significantly influenced by gestational age, analgesia use, and the duration of labor.
Conclusion: Women who went through spontaneous labor had much better child-birth experiences than those who underwent induction.

Key words: Labor induction, spontaneous labor, childbirth experience, CEQ score, maternal satisfaction, mode of delivery.