The one your practitioner uses will depend on a number of factors, such as the readiness of your cervix and your baby's health. Get familiar with the methods below, but remember, there are no guarantees:. Your health care provider will do a cervical exam, and with her finger, she will separate the amniotic sac from the wall of the uterus. Many women have cramping and spotting after this is done. When the membrane is separated, hormones called prostaglandins are released, and these ripen the cervix by causing contractions.
Stripping the membranes during pregnancy can be done only if your cervix is dilated. Before inducing labor, the cervix is assessed by a Bishop Score — a point system of on five factors, including how far open and thinned out it is. The higher the score, the greater the chance for a vaginal delivery, while totals under 5 are the biggest risk factor for a C-section. Your doctor will examine your cervix to see how effaced and dilated it is and will check to see if your baby has descended into your pelvis.
Studies show that induced labors are most effective in women whose cervices are ready for labor, so if yours isn't, your health care practitioner may help things along by using one of several ripening agents.
These include prostaglandin E suppositories, a prostaglandin-laced gel, prostaglandin on a vaginal device, or a prostaglandin tablet. Some women who go this route go into labor within 24 hours without needing to have any other intervention. Other tricks used to open your cervix include laminaria seaweed sticks, which absorb water from the cervix and slowly open it or a urine catheter bulb which gets blown up in the cervix and gradually opens it.
If stripping the membranes does not cause contractions, your practitioner may decide to insert an obstetric tool that looks a little like a crochet hook through your cervix to tear a small hole in your amniotic sac. This technique is also called an "amniotomy. This procedure can be uncomfortable if you're less than a centimeter dilated, but otherwise it doesn't hurt at all. If labor doesn't begin within 24 hours after your water is broken, your practitioner may then induce you with Pitocin, the synthetic version of oxytocin, or another method to decrease the risk of infection.
Pitocin is a synthetic form of oxytocin, which is your body's contraction-inducing hormone. It's one of the most commonly used drugs in the United States. For most pregnant women , labor begins in part as a result of higher levels of oxytocin in the blood; your practitioner is aiming to mimic this natural process by administering Pitocin.
According to birth certificates, 23 percent of women who gave birth in had labor induction. However, studies to check the accuracy of this item have found that many actual labor inductions are uncounted on birth certificates. It also looked at many aspects of labor induction.
They reported experiencing various drugs and procedures for this purpose. In most cases, the attempts to induce did start labor, which meant that, in all, 30 percent had medically induced labor. These women told us that their labors were induced for both medical and non-medical convenience reasons. Twenty-nine percent of the survey participants tried to start their labor on their own self-induced labor.
As discussed in this section, induction is often chosen for non-medical reasons, even though it can increase risks for mom and baby. Here are some reasons the induction rate has been increasing in the United States:.
Here are some reasons the induction rate has been increasing in the United States: Women's lack of knowledge about the risks, benefits and appropriate use of labor induction. Not enough women have accurate information about when it is safe for a baby to be born. Just 21 percent chose the recommended 39 weeks or beyond, while 35 percent identified 37 or 38 weeks — a point still considered an early term birth with known risks to babies.
Why the concern after two weeks? When a pregnancy lasts longer than 42 weeks, amniotic fluid might begin to decrease and there's an increased risk of having a baby significantly larger than average fetal macrosomia. There's also an increased risk of C-section, fetal inhalation of fecal waste meconium aspiration and stillbirth.
Elective labor induction is the initiation of labor for convenience in a person with a term pregnancy who doesn't medically need the intervention. For example, if you live far from the hospital or birthing center or you have a history of rapid deliveries, a scheduled induction might help you avoid an unattended delivery. In such cases, your health care provider will confirm that your baby's gestational age is at least 39 weeks or older before induction to reduce the risk of health problems for your baby.
Techniques such as exercising or having sex to induce labor aren't backed by scientific evidence. Also, avoid herbal supplements, which could harm your baby. Labor induction isn't for everyone. For example, it might not be an option if you have had a prior C-section with a classical incision or major uterine surgery, your placenta is blocking your cervix placenta previa , or your baby is lying buttocks first breech or sideways transverse lie in your uterus.
Inducing labor is a serious decision. Work with your health care provider to make the best choice for you and your baby. There is a problem with information submitted for this request. Sign up for free, and stay up-to-date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID, plus expert advice on managing your health. Error Email field is required. Error Include a valid email address. To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information and to understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your e-mail and website usage information with other information we have about you.
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