Obesity and gestational diabetes are independently associated with a number of obstetric complications including increased risk of intrapartum caesarean section. Contrary to common opinion, the best available evidence suggests that induction of labour reduces this risk. The link between gestational diabetes, obesity and caesarean section will be outlined and the evidence that induction of labour may attenuate this association in pregnancies with a high baseline risk will be presented. Antenatal factors such as maternal age, parity, height, gestational diabetes, maternal BMI, estimated fetal weight, fetal head circumference and increased cervical length at 37 weeks gestation are associated with increased risk of caesarean section. More research is needed, but the data available suggest that women at higher risk of caesarean section may benefit from induction of labour and at the very least, induction of labour need not be avoided in order to increase the chances of a normal vaginal birth.