WHO recommendations on mechanical methods for induction of labour

Overview

The updated recommendations in this document on mechanical methods for induction of labour supersede the previous WHO recommendations on this topic in the 2011 publication WHO recommendations for induction of labour.

The primary audience for these recommendations includes health professionals who are responsible for developing national and local health-care guidelines and protocols and health workers involved in the provision of care to women and their newborns during pregnancy, labour and childbirth; this includes midwives, nurses, general medical practitioners and obstetricians. The primary audience also includes managers of maternal and child health programmes, and relevant staff in ministries of health and educational and training institutions, in all settings.