The usual duration of pregnancy is 280 days or 40 weeks and the termination of pregnancy with childbirth is expected between 38 and 40 weeks. Childbirth spontaneously begins with physiological changes in the form of maturation of the cervix and the occurrence of uterine contractions. If spontaneous initiation does not occur at the expected time of delivery, with the continuation of pregnancy there is a possibility of complications related to the mother and a newborn. For this reason, in the case of a gestational age of 41 weeks and older, it is decided to induce labour and complete the pregnancy. This retrospective study was conducted in Women's department at University hospital centre Zagreb in the period from 1 January, 2018 to 31 December, 2018 in order to determine whether there is a difference in the course and outcome of deliveries that began spontaneously or are induced. In the observed period, there were 418 deliveries at the Clinic in the period from the 41st week of pregnancy and more. 59.5% began spontaneously and 40.5% were induced. Outcome parameters were observed through 3 categories: maternal, childbirth and neonatal. The statistically significant difference was found in the frequency of birth canal injuries between the study and control groups (p = 0.0005). No statistically significant difference was found when comparing the duration of the active phase of the 1st childbirth period and the 2nd childbirth period but the difference was proved when applying epidural analgesia that prolongs the duration of the active phase of the 1st childbirth period (p = 0.00026) and the 2nd childbirth period (p << 0.001). The number of completed cesarean deliveries did not differ statistically in the groups of spontaneously initiated and induced births. There was no statistically significant difference in the need for intensive neonatal treatment between the study and control groups. In conclusion, it follows that in most of the parameters that describe the outcome of labour there is no statistically significant difference between spontaneously initiated and induced labor. The tendency is induction of labour at 41 weeks of gestation due to a decrease in perinatal mortality and morbidity associated with complications of post-term pregnancies.