# ARRIVE trial (induction at 39 weeks in low-risk first births)

Study · id `maternal:arrive-trial` · Maternal & Newborn Atlas · release `c7fb95f1d15a7d13` (public)

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Also called: ARRIVE; A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management

Browse, life stage: Pregnancy; Childbirth  
Browse, care area: Labour and birth  

## In plain language

A large trial in the United States that asked whether offering induction at 39 weeks to healthy first-time mothers leads to better results than waiting for labour to start on its own. About 6100 women took part. Induction did not clearly lower the main outcome, a mix of baby deaths and serious newborn problems, but it did lower the caesarean rate. The registry lists no masking.

## Technical summary

Randomised, parallel-group trial (NCT01990612; phase not applicable). The registry enrolled count is 6106 (actual); the abstract gives 3062 women assigned to induction at 39 weeks 0 days to 39 weeks 4 days and 3044 assigned to expectant management, women randomised at 38 weeks 0 days to 38 weeks 6 days. Primary outcome: a composite of perinatal death or severe neonatal complications. Principal secondary outcome: caesarean delivery. The registry induction arm used oxytocin, with cervical ripening first (method left to the physician) when the cervix was unfavourable. Registry lead sponsor: The George Washington University Biostatistics Center (no organisation record in this atlas), with NICHD as collaborator; the abstract says the trial was funded by NICHD. The funded\_by link to NICHD rests on the abstract's funding statement, not on the registry collaborator line. The registry start date has no type; results were first posted 2019-01-25 and were not read.

## Key facts

- Design: Allocation: randomised. Intervention model: parallel. Masking: none listed. Primary purpose: prevention. Women were randomly assigned to induction of labour at 39 weeks 0 days to 39 weeks 4 days or to expectant management (registry values, paraphrased).
- Phase: Not applicable
- Enrolled: 6106 women (registry enrollment, type ACTUAL) (enrolled count; A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management, snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct01990612-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14); 3062 women assigned to labour induction (randomized count; Labor Induction versus Expectant Management in Low-Risk Nulliparous Women, snapshot `maternal:pubmed-30089070-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14); 3044 women assigned to expectant management (randomized count; Labor Induction versus Expectant Management in Low-Risk Nulliparous Women, snapshot `maternal:pubmed-30089070-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Started: 2014-03 (A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management, snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct01990612-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Primary completion: 2017-11 (actual) (A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management, snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct01990612-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Completion: 2018-01 (actual) (A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management, snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct01990612-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Results first posted: 2019-01-25 (actual) (A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management, snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct01990612-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Countries: United States (A Randomized Trial of Induction Versus Expectant Management, snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct01990612-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Care setting: Multicentre trial in the United States. The abstract does not say what kind of site took part. (Labor Induction versus Expectant Management in Low-Risk Nulliparous Women, snapshot `maternal:pubmed-30089070-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)
- Registry status: "COMPLETED" (U.S. National Library of Medicine (ClinicalTrials.gov), snapshot `maternal:ctgov-nct01990612-2026-10-14`, retrieved 2026-10-14)

## Connected pages

- Tests induction at 39 weeks against expectant management: Induction of labour (`maternal:induction-of-labour`)
- The abstract states the trial was funded by NICHD: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (`maternal:nichd`)

## Provenance

Content hash: 91a8b9eca967e437cb687bc892fe3a8cd68f30157889eed43d0ffb5b924a5e7e
Last substantive edit: 2026-10-14
Evidence last checked: 2026-10-14