Trial reportBJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology2025
Is It Cost-Effective to Induce Labour Early to Prevent Shoulder Dystocia? Evidence From the Big Baby Trial.
Trial report in BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe cost-effectiveness of early induction of labour for suspected large-for-gestational-age foetuses to prevent shoulder dystocia is unknown.
methodsA within-trial economic evaluation of induction at 38 + 0 to 38 + 4 weeks' gestation for suspected large-for-gestational-age foetuses. Resource use and costs were measured to 6 months postpartum. We estimated incremental cost per case of shoulder dystocia prevented and incremental cost per maternal quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained. We collected data for planned caesarean sections in a cohort study.
findingsMean combined woman and infant costs in the induction arm were £89 (95% confidence interval (CI): -£79, £257) higher than the standard care arm, driven by increased neonatal costs. The incremental cost of preventing one case of shoulder dystocia was £11 879 and the incremental cost per maternal QALY gained was £39 518. The probability of early induction being cost-effective was 0.65 at a cost-effectiveness threshold of £20 000 per case of shoulder dystocia prevented, but 0.36 at a cost-effectiveness threshold of £20 000 per maternal QALY gained. The cohort study found the mean cost was £310 (95% CI: £74, £545) higher in the induction arm than in the planned caesarean group.
interpretationEarly induction of labour increased neonatal care costs. It is not a cost-effective approach when effects are restricted to maternal QALYs. Planned caesarean section might be cost-saving when compared to early induction, although we did not assess longer-term effects such as an increased risk of repeat caesarean sections. Assessments of long-term effects on the mother and infant should be incorporated into future studies.
trial registrationISRCTN18229892.
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