What’s the Rush?

This chapter analyzes changes over time in early-term births. Labor induction rates have risen over time and many experts speculate that at least half of inductions are elective. Popular accounts suggest that pregnant women are driving this by requesting inductions. Healthcare providers are also part of the story because they can refuse women’s requests, but hospitals and OB/GYN practices benefit enormously from scheduling births even though they pose medical risks. Analyses of early-term births in low-risk pregnancies reveal that providers are more likely to take unnecessary risks in states with tort reforms that limit their liability risk. This effect was strongest during the period before 2009, when the strength of professional recommendations against early elective induction had eroded.