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Induction is a way of artificially bringing on labour in a woman.
Common causes for induction include:
- The baby is believed to be getting too big
- Postdate pregnancy, i.e. if the pregnancy has gone past the 42 week mark
- Intrauterine fetal growth retardation (IUGR)
- There are health risks to the woman in continuing the pregnancy (e.g. she has pre-eclampsia)
- Premature rupture of the membranes (PROM); this is when the membranes rupture, but labour does not start within a specific amount of time.
- Scheduling concerns
Induced labour tends to be more intense and painful for the woman, often leading to the increased use of analgesics and other pain-relieving phamaceuticals. This cascade of intervention has been shown to lead to an increased likelihood of caesarean section delivery for the baby. See: Roberts, Tracy, Peat in references. Inductions should only be undertaken for significant medical reasons.
Methods of induction
Methods of inducing labour include:
- Artificial rupture of the membranes (AROM or ARM) ("breaking the waters")
- Cervical prostaglandin gel, such as dinoprostone (Cervidil).
- Intravenous administration of synthetic oxytocin preparations, such as Pitocin.
If induction does not work, a Caesarean section may be required.
References
Rates for obstetric intervention among private and public patients in Australia: population based descriptive study Christine L Roberts, Sally Tracy, Brian Peat, "British Medical Journal", v321:140 July 2000
External links
- Family.doctor.org
- Harman & Kim. "Current Trends in Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction" American Family Physician 1999; 60:477-84.
- Kripke. "Facts About Labor Induction" American Family Physician 1999; 60:484.
"Induction (birth)"