Depends on the type of induction but there is one statistic that is particularly frightening.

About 60% of first time mothers who are induced with syntocinon (drip) will end up with a c/s. Most of them will have also have had an epidural (combination of reasons - but in a nutshell, longer labours with first time mums becoming generally pretty unbearable on the drip if it goes on more than a few hours).

I have nothing to back this up statistically, but the number of times I've seen babies crash after syntocinon (either induction or augmentation after spontaneous labour) and an epidural is enough to make me determined to avoid either if I ever have another baby. A bit hard to have synto or epidural at home which is where next baby will be born...but if I was in hospital there is no way either would be coming anywhere near me.

The part that gets my attention every time is that it's always a baby that is doing fine and within an hour of synto and epi it just all goes downhill.

I seriously can't understand why the people who initiate this don't acknowledge that there is a link.