How do doctors medically induce labor

If your labour is induced, you are also more likely to need other interventions, such as the use of forceps or ventouse vacuum to assist with the birth of your baby.

You will not be able to move around as much because the baby will be monitored more closely than during a natural labour. You will only be offered induced labour if there is a risk to you or your baby's health. Your doctor might recommend induced labour if:. Not everyone can have an induced labour. It is not usually an option if you have had a a caesarean section or major abdominal surgery before, if you have placenta praevia , or if your baby is breech or lying sideways.

During the late stages of your pregnancy, your healthcare team will carry out regular checks on your health and your baby's heath. These checks help them decide whether it is better to induce labour or to keep the baby inside.

Always tell your doctor or midwife if you notice your baby is moving less than normal. If they decide it is medically necessary to induce labour, first your doctor or midwife will do an internal examination by feeling inside your vagina. They will feel your cervix to see if it is ready for labour. This examination will also help them decide on the best method for you.

There are different options for inducing labour and you may need a combination of treatments. It can take from a few hours to as long as 2 to 3 days to induce labour. It depends how your body responds to the treatment. It is likely to take longer if this is your first pregnancy or you are less than 37 weeks pregnant. Induced labour is usually more painful than natural labour. Depending on the type of induction you are having, this could range from discomfort with the procedure or more intense and longer lasting contractions as a result of the medication you have been given.

Women who have induced labour are more likely to ask for an epidural for relief. Because inductions are almost always done in hospital, the full range of pain relief should be available to you. There is usually no restriction on the type of pain relief you can have if your labour is induced. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version.

This content does not have an Arabic version. Sections for Labor induction About. Overview Labor induction — also known as inducing labor — is the stimulation of uterine contractions during pregnancy before labor begins on its own to achieve a vaginal birth. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Uterine incisions used during C-sections Open pop-up dialog box Close. Uterine incisions used during C-sections A C-section includes an abdominal incision and a uterine incision.

Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Wing DA. Induction of labor. Accessed April 25, Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ What to expect after your due date. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

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. Years ago, some doctors routinely induced labor. But now it's not usually done unless there's a true medical need for it.

Labor is usually allowed to take its natural course. However, in some situations, a health care provider may recommend induction. Induction also can be appropriate under certain circumstances, as with a mother who is full term and has a history of rapid deliveries or lives far from a hospital. Some mothers request elective inductions for convenience, but these do come with risks. Some methods of induction are less invasive and carry fewer risks than others.

Ways that doctors may try to induce labor by getting contractions started include:. Stripping the membranes can be a little painful or uncomfortable, although it usually only takes a minute or so. You may also have some intense cramps and spotting for the next day or two.

It can also be a little uncomfortable to have your water broken. You may feel a tug followed by a warm trickle or gush of fluid.

With prostaglandin, you might have some strong cramping as well. With oxytocin, contractions are usually more frequent and regular than in a labor that starts naturally. Inducing labor is not like turning on a faucet. If the body isn't ready, an induction might fail and, after hours or days of trying, a woman may end up having a cesarean delivery C-section. This appears to be more likely if the cervix is not yet ripe.

If the doctor ruptures the amniotic sac and labor doesn't begin, another method of inducing labor also might be necessary because there's a risk of infection to both mother and baby if the membranes are ruptured for a long time before the baby is born.