In a post on this thread, the term 'active management of labor' was used as though elective induction were a part of it. Active management of labor relates ONLY to labor which is spontaneous in onset, and involves the use of IV Pitocin to ensure progress ONCE LABOR HAS BEGUN. The phrase was coined by O'Driscoll and Meagher, both obstetricians at Dublin's National Maternity Hospital. They wrote a fascinating book about it (whatever your opinion of their policy, 'Active Management of Labour' is great reading) and they say again and again and again that active management rests on three pillars, the most important of which is NOT the IV which 40% of mothers have, NOT the breaking of waters which is done on all women found to be in labour with intact membranes on admission, but the continuous (and they do mean continuous) companionship of an individual midwife with each and every woman-- one-to-one care to 100% of women. This hospital has an extremely low rate of induction of labor and approximately 40% augmentation of first labours, as well as an impressively low rate of operative delivery. Pitocin augmentation of other than first labours is very rare there. The National Maternity Hospital has also achieved Baby-Friendly status by the WHO/UNICEF criteria. I am not saying they have all the answers, nor am I defending their very active policy. But whatever their faults, excessive use of induction is not among them. Rachel Myr who believes that if you are going to give birth in a baby factory, it might as well be one that acknowledges it's a factory and takes production and quality control seriously *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html