Navigating failed induction of labor within maternity care systems: a qualitative study of women’s experiences and healthcare professionals’ perspectives
Abstract
BackgroundInduction of labor is one of the most common obstetric interventions worldwide, yet some inductions do not result in vaginal birth. While clinical predictors and outcomes of failed induction have been extensively investigated, less is known about how this experience affects women and healthcare professionals. Understanding these experiences is essential for improving woman-centered care, shared decision-making, and the quality of maternity services.MethodsThis constructivist qualitative study was conducted in a tertiary Grade A maternal and child health hospital in Chongqing, southwest China, with over 21,000 annual deliveries. Twelve women who experienced failed induction of labor, five obstetricians and nine midwives were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews (median 32 min; range 15–48 min) were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed in Mandarin using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo 12 Pro. Exemplar quotations were translated into English using forward-and-backward translation. Reporting followed the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research.ResultsThree interrelated themes emerged. First, information vacuum and disempowered decision-making: women entered induction with limited professional preparation and relied on fragmented lay narratives, leading to either over-optimism or the belief that most inductions end in cesarean; conversion to cesarean was often perceived as notification rather than shared decision-making. Second, pain-dominated physical and psychological trauma: severe, unpredictable pain, threshold-based analgesia and prolonged uncertainty generated a trajectory from hope to disappointment, collapse and ambivalent relief, and reshaped some women’s attitudes toward future labor. Third, systemic gaps and care dilemmas: fragmented processes, subjective assessments, medico-legal pressure and heavy workloads displaced relational care, leaving women insufficiently empowered and professionals insufficiently enabled to provide continuous, compassionate support.ConclusionFailed induction of labor was experienced not merely as an unsuccessful procedure but as a prolonged relational care trajectory shaped by information gaps, pain, uncertainty, distress and organizational constraints. Improving care requires staged antenatal and intrapartum information, proactive pain and emotional support, clearer communication at decision points, and organizational mechanisms that enable safe, consistent and compassionate care.
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BibTeX
@article{li2026navigating,
title = {{Navigating failed induction of labor within maternity care systems: a qualitative study of women’s experiences and healthcare professionals’ perspectives}},
author = {Yao Li and Linna Wei and Wanying Pang and Lu Chen and Youjing Liu and Yuchan Xu and Jie Zhou and Li Xie},
journal = {Frontiers in Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.3389/fpubh.2026.1943274},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1943274},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Navigating failed induction of labor within maternity care systems: a qualitative study of women’s experiences and healthcare professionals’ perspectives
AU - Yao Li
AU - Linna Wei
AU - Wanying Pang
AU - Lu Chen
AU - Youjing Liu
AU - Yuchan Xu
AU - Jie Zhou
AU - Li Xie
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/09
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1943274
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2026.1943274
AB - BackgroundInduction of labor is one of the most common obstetric interventions worldwide, yet some inductions do not result in vaginal birth. While clinical predictors and outcomes of failed induction have been extensively investigated, less is known about how this experience affects women and healthcare professionals. Understanding these experiences is essential for improving woman-centered care, shared decision-making, and the quality of maternity services.MethodsThis constructivist qualitative study was conducted in a tertiary Grade A maternal and child health hospital in Chongqing, southwest China, with over 21,000 annual deliveries. Twelve women who experienced failed induction of labor, five obstetricians and nine midwives were purposively sampled. Semi-structured interviews (median 32 min; range 15–48 min) were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed in Mandarin using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis in NVivo 12 Pro. Exemplar quotations were translated into English using forward-and-backward translation. Reporting followed the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research.ResultsThree interrelated themes emerged. First, information vacuum and disempowered decision-making: women entered induction with limited professional preparation and relied on fragmented lay narratives, leading to either over-optimism or the belief that most inductions end in cesarean; conversion to cesarean was often perceived as notification rather than shared decision-making. Second, pain-dominated physical and psychological trauma: severe, unpredictable pain, threshold-based analgesia and prolonged uncertainty generated a trajectory from hope to disappointment, collapse and ambivalent relief, and reshaped some women’s attitudes toward future labor. Third, systemic gaps and care dilemmas: fragmented processes, subjective assessments, medico-legal pressure and heavy workloads displaced relational care, leaving women insufficiently empowered and professionals insufficiently enabled to provide continuous, compassionate support.ConclusionFailed induction of labor was experienced not merely as an unsuccessful procedure but as a prolonged relational care trajectory shaped by information gaps, pain, uncertainty, distress and organizational constraints. Improving care requires staged antenatal and intrapartum information, proactive pain and emotional support, clearer communication at decision points, and organizational mechanisms that enable safe, consistent and compassionate care.
SN - 2296-2565
ER -