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Early termination of pregnancy
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
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In modern obstetrics, an important place is given to artificial induction of labor. It is believed that the proportion of induced labor should not exceed 10%.
In high-risk pregnancies, obstetricians are forced to induce labor, most often ahead of schedule, based on specific indications from the mother or fetus - this is induced labor. In other cases, artificial labor induction is performed at term without medical indications, when the fetus has reached full maturity and there are no signs of spontaneous labor. Such preventive labor induction during normal pregnancy is called programmed labor. Planned labor at the optimal time with a good outcome for the mother and fetus is a new section of modern obstetrics.
According to modern concepts, the most gentle method of terminating pregnancy at late stages for medical reasons is the woman's resolution through the natural birth canal by means of medical induction of labor, often in combination with premature rupture of the amniotic sac. At the same time, it is known that one of the most important conditions, largely predetermining the effectiveness of the applied labor induction, is the presence of optimally expressed signs of readiness for childbirth in women. Therefore, before prescribing labor induction therapy to a pregnant woman, it is necessary to correctly assess her readiness for childbirth.
Particularly careful diagnostics of readiness for childbirth should be carried out when combining medical induction of labor with premature amniotomy, since in women with no or insufficiently expressed signs of readiness for childbirth, induction of labor does not always lead to the "unleashing" of adequate labor activity. If labor does begin in such cases, it usually takes a protracted course. In addition, there is a risk of an excessively long anhydrous period and infection of the birth canal with all the ensuing consequences.
Early termination of pregnancy is quite common in the interests of the mother's health, especially in severe forms of late toxicosis, some extragenital diseases (cardiovascular pathology, diabetes mellitus, etc.). To some extent, in these cases, the interests of the fetus are also observed, since severe pathology of the mother always poses and creates a potential threat to it.
Early termination of pregnancy in the interests of the fetus is, in essence, a new chapter in obstetrics, which has gained the right to exist relatively recently. This was mainly due to two circumstances. The first concerns the currently established view that during pregnancy and childbirth, the interests of not only the mother but also the fetus must be fully taken into account. In this case, it is necessary to keep in mind the provision of the birth of not only a living but also a healthy child. The second is due to the achievements of modern science, which have allowed us to expand our capabilities, correctly assess the condition of the fetus and improve the methods of delivery.
It should be emphasized that early termination of pregnancy involves medical intervention at different stages of pregnancy, including in the last week before spontaneous labor occurs, in order to obtain a viable child.
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