Induction of labor using Foley catheter with weight attached vs without weight attached: A randomized control trial.

OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness in preventing Caesarean section for failed induction by using Foley catheter for cervical ripening in comparison to Foley catheter with a weight attached to it. METHODS Randomized control trial conducted between November 2018 and July 2020 which looked at induction of labor with 30 ml Foley catheter in one arm and the Foley placed with a 500 ml weight attached to it in the other arm. Primary outcome was the Caesarean section rate. RESULTS We randomized 399 women. Modes of delivery were similar in both the groups. Those undergoing Caesarean section for failed induction was higher in the group which underwent induction with Foley with weight but it was not statistically significant (45.7% vs 26.5%, p= 0.1). There was a shorter time to expulsion of the Foley with weight attached (mean (SD): 2.6(3.3) hrs vs 10.9(3.2) hrs, p value < 0.001) but this did not translate into a difference in time to active labor or time to delivery. CONCLUSION Placing a weight at the end of the Foley catheter for induction of labor does not affect the time to delivery or the rate of caesarean deliveries though there is faster expulsion of the Foley.