Women's Knowledge About Induction of Labour and Its Association With Their Experience (INFORM)

May 27, 2026 updated by: Imperial College London

Induction of Labour: Women's Knowledge and Experience

Induction of labour (IOL) is a common procedure to initiate childbirth, around one in three pregnant women having their labour induced in the UK. Labour may be induced for many different reasons, including going past the due date, having high blood pressure, diabetes, concerns about the baby's growth, or reduced movements.

IOL can be a complex and lengthy process, sometimes lasting up to seven days. Many women find that their expectations of IOL do not match their real experiences. Research shows that between 5% and 20% of women report a negative birth experience, and this can have lasting effects. These may include difficulties bonding with their baby, depression after birth, fear of future childbirth, or choosing a caesarean section next time.

Studies also show that women who feel unprepared for induction, or who do not fully understand the benefits, risks, and steps involved, are more likely to have a difficult experience. At the same time, research suggests that some healthcare professionals may not feel fully confident in their knowledge of induction, and their decisions may be influenced by colleagues or local practice rather than evidence alone.

This project aims to understand how much women know about induction before it begins, how this knowledge affects their experience, and how well clinicians understand and communicate about induction.

To do this, investigators will invite women who are booked for induction at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital or West Middlesex Hospital to take part in two surveys: one before induction and one after birth. Women will also be able to volunteer for an interview to talk in more detail about their experience. They will also invite all maternity staff at the Trust to complete a short survey about their knowledge and attitudes towards induction, followed by optional interviews.

Investigators aim to recruit approximately 82 pregnant women and 20 to 30 clinicians (including midwives, obstetricians, and trainees) working in the maternity department at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

112

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

N/A

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Pregnant women aged 18 and over who are booked for induction of labour at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (including Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex Hospital), and clinicians (midwives, obstetricians, and trainees) working in the maternity department at the same Trust.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Women:

  • All pregnant women who are booked for IOL at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust which includes both Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex Hospital.
  • The ability to understand and sign a written informed consent form.
  • Singleton pregnancy.

Clinicians:

• Working at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust which includes both Chelsea and Westminster Hospital and West Middlesex Hospital.

Exclusion Criteria:

Women:

  • Under age 18
  • Women who do not have sufficient understanding of the English language to provide informed consent or to complete the questionnaires and interviews independently
  • Those not meeting the inclusion criteria

Clinicians:

• Those not meeting the inclusion criteria

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Pregnant women booked for induction of labour - 82 participants
Other: Survey and Interview-Based Assessment
Participants will complete questionnaires and/or take part in semi-structured interviews to assess their knowledge and experiences related to induction of labour.
Clinicians in maternity at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS FT, 20-30 participants
Other: Survey and Interview-Based Assessment
Participants will complete questionnaires and/or take part in semi-structured interviews to assess their knowledge and experiences related to induction of labour.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Women's Pre- Induction knowledge of induction of labour
Time Frame: The project will take 24 months.
Assessment will be performed using the Pre-Induction Survey, with a maximum score of 55.
The project will take 24 months.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Imperial College London

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

December 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2028

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 13, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 1, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 27, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 179390

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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