Maternal and perinatal outcomes following induction of labour at 40 weeks and 41 weeks at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.

Background : Pregnancy lasting 294 days and beyond often invokes maternal concern about delay past the expected date of delivery. A vital component of a healthy pregnancy is the timing of delivery with an existing increase in morbidity and mortality on both ends of the gestational age at delivery spectrum. There is an associated increased risk of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes with post-term pregnancy which is defined as a pregnancy at or beyond 42 weeks + 0 days by the WHO. However, adverse perinatal outcomes have been shown to start increasing after 40weeks of gestation. Induction of labour is defined as the artificial initiation of uterine contractions after the age of viability before its spontaneous onset for the purpose of achieving vaginal delivery. The preferred timing for induction of labour still remains indistinct.General Aims and Objectives: To compare the maternal and perinatal outcomes following induction of labour at 40weeks (40weeks+0day to 40weeks+6days) to induction of labour at 41weeks (41weeks+0day to 41weeks+6days) in the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.