Labor and delivery (11)
- Signs of labor: Know what to expect
- Episiotomy: Can you deliver a baby without one?
- Inducing labor: When to wait, when to induce
- see all in Labor and delivery
Postpartum care (7)
- Exercise after pregnancy: How to get started
- Maternity leave: Tips for returning to work
- Weight loss after pregnancy: Reclaiming your body
- see all in Postpartum care
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Inducing labor: When to wait, when to induce
Can I request an induction?
If you're interested in an elective induction, discuss it with your health care provider. If you live far from the hospital or you have a history of rapid deliveries, a scheduled induction may be warranted. Although there are exceptions, elective induction generally isn't appropriate for lifestyle or work reasons. Keep in mind that unnecessary intervention poses unnecessary risks — such as a possible C-section. Trust your health care provider to help you make the best decision in your case.
Can I do anything to trigger labor on my own?
Probably not.
Nipple stimulation or breast massage may release the hormone oxytocin, which can lead to contractions — but the cervix must be ready to open for labor to actually begin. These techniques are unlikely to work unless labor was about to begin anyway, and more research needs to be done to evaluate their safety.
Other techniques for inducing labor — such as having sex or eating pineapple — aren't backed by scientific evidence. If you want to try a certain food, go for it. Sex is OK, too, as long as your water hasn't broken. But get your health care provider's OK before trying any other home remedies, herbal supplements or alternative treatments for inducing labor.
What are the risks?
Inducing labor carries various risks, including:
- Premature birth. Inducing labor too early may result in a premature birth, which poses risks for the baby — including difficulty breathing, yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice), and other problems. Even inductions close to term may cause these problems.
- Low heart rate. The medication used to induce labor (oxytocin) may provoke too many contractions, which can diminish your baby's oxygen supply and lower your baby's heart rate.
- Infection. Inducing labor increases the risk of infection for both mother and baby.
- Umbilical cord problems. Inducing labor increases the risk of the umbilical cord slipping into the vagina before delivery, which may compress the cord and decrease the baby's oxygen supply.
- The need for a C-section. By definition, induction promotes delivery before your body is ready for labor — which may lead to poor labor progress and the need for a C-section.
- An increased risk of uterine rupture if you've had a prior C-section. Uterine rupture is a rare but serious complication in which the uterus tears open along the scar line from a prior C-section. An emergency C-section is needed to prevent life-threatening complications.
The risks of inducing labor are real, but sometimes the benefits outweigh the risks. Work with your health care provider to make the best decision for you and your baby.
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- 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.
