Filling the balloon with saline and resting it against the inside of the cervix helps ripen the cervix. In other cases, a small tube (catheter) with an inflatable balloon on the end is inserted into the cervix. After prostaglandin use, the contractions and the baby's heart rate are monitored. Sometimes prostaglandins, versions of chemicals the body naturally produces, are placed inside the vagina or taken by mouth to thin or soften (ripen) the cervix. Depending on the circumstances, the health care provider might use one of the following ways or a combination of them. There are various ways of inducing labor. That's because mother and baby can be monitored there, and labor and delivery services are readily available. Labor induction is typically done in a hospital or birthing center. If you have had a C-section and have labor induced, your health care provider is likely to avoid certain medications to reduce the risk of uterine rupture. The umbilical cord slips into the vagina before delivery (umbilical cord prolapse).You have an active genital herpes infection.
Labor induction carries various risks, including: Low transverse incisions are the most common (top left). After the abdominal incision, the health care provider will make an incision in the uterus. It's important that women and their providers share in decisions to induce labor at 39 to 40 weeks.Ī C-section includes an abdominal incision and a uterine incision. Research shows that inducing labor at this time reduces several risks, including having a stillbirth, having a large baby and developing high blood pressure as the pregnancy goes on. In such cases, a health care provider will confirm that the baby's gestational age is at least 39 weeks or older before induction to reduce the risk of health problems for the baby.Īs a result of recent studies, women with low-risk pregnancies are being offered labor induction at 39 to 40 weeks. It can be useful for women who live far from the hospital or birthing center or who have a history of fast deliveries.Ī scheduled induction might help avoid delivery without help. These include heart, lung or kidney disease and obesity.Įlective labor induction is the starting of labor for convenience when there's no medical need.
When labor doesn't begin after the water breaks (prelabor rupture of membranes).Nearing 1 to 2 weeks beyond the due date without labor starting (postterm pregnancy).They also include the baby's health, gestational age, weight, size and position in the uterus. These include the mother's health and the status of the cervix.
To determine if labor induction is necessary, a health care provider will likely evaluate several factors.