Labor and delivery (11)
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Inducing labor: When to wait, when to induce
Considering inducing labor? Understand who makes a good candidate for inducing labor and why the intervention isn't for everyone.
By Mayo Clinic staffNature controls most aspects of labor — but sometimes nature needs a nudge. If your health care provider decides you and your baby would benefit from delivering sooner rather than later, he or she may suggest inducing labor.
Why would I need an induction?
Your health care provider may recommend inducing labor for various reasons, primarily when there's concern for your health or your baby's health. For example:
- You're at least 10 days beyond your due date, and labor hasn't started naturally.
- Your water has broken, but you're not having contractions.
- There's an infection in your uterus.
- Your baby has stopped growing at the expected pace.
- There's not enough amniotic fluid surrounding the baby.
- Your placenta has begun to deteriorate.
- You have a medical condition that may put you or your baby at risk, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.
Can I wait for labor to begin naturally?
Up to two weeks after your due date, a wait-and-see approach may be preferable. Nature prepares the cervix for delivery in the most efficient, comfortable way. However, if your health care provider is concerned about your health or your baby's health or your pregnancy continues two weeks past your due date, inducing labor may be the best option.
Why the concern after two weeks? The longer your pregnancy continues, the larger your baby is likely to be — which may complicate a vaginal delivery. In a few cases, aging of the placenta may compromise a baby's ability to thrive in the womb. An overdue baby also is more likely to inhale fecal waste (meconium) during childbirth, which can cause breathing problems or a lung infection after birth.
Remember, there's no right or wrong way to have a baby. If complications make an induction necessary, don't consider it a sign of failure. Though you may not welcome the news, it may be what's best for you or your baby.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Inducing labor. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/240_20202.asp. Accessed April 1, 2009.
- Wing D. Induction of labor. http://www.uptodate/com/home/index.html. Accessed April 1, 2009.
- What to expect after your due date. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp069.cfm. Accessed April 1, 2009.
- Induction by request. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/240_20203.asp. Accessed April 1, 2009.
- Kavanagh J, et al. Breast stimulation for cervical ripening and induction of labour (review). The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2005:CD003392.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 20, 2009.
