Labor and delivery, postpartum care

3 imperatives to transform health care in America. You're invited to watch it live

Free

E-newsletter

Subscribe to Housecall

Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.

Sign up now

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 staff

Nature 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 might suggest inducing labor.

Why would I need an induction?

Your health care provider might recommend inducing labor for various reasons, primarily when there's concern for your health or your baby's health. For example:

  • You're approaching two weeks 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 (oligohydramnios)
  • Your placenta has begun to deteriorate
  • The placenta peels away from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery — either partially or completely (placental abruption)
  • You have a medical condition that might 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 might 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 might be the best option.

Why the concern after two weeks? The longer your pregnancy continues, the larger your baby is likely to be — which might complicate a vaginal delivery. In a few cases, aging of the placenta might compromise a baby's ability to thrive in the womb. An overdue baby is also more likely to inhale fecal waste (meconium) during childbirth, which can cause breathing problems or a lung infection after birth.

Next page
(1 of 2)
References
  1. Wing DA. Induction of labor. http://www.uptodate/com/home/index.html. Accessed March 30, 2011.
  2. What to expect after your due date. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp069.cfm. Accessed March 30, 2011.
  3. Kavanagh J, et al. Breast stimulation for cervical ripening and induction of labour (review). The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2005:CD003392.
  4. Labor induction. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp154.cfm. Accessed March 30, 2011.
  5. Wing DA. Induction of labor in women with prior cesarean delivery. http://www.uptodate/com/home/index.html. Accessed March 30, 2011.
  6. Clark SL, et al. Neonatal and maternal outcomes associated with elective term delivery. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2009;100:156.
  7. Wing DA. Techniques for cervical ripening prior to labor induction. http://www.uptodate/com/home/index.html. Accessed March 30, 2011.
  8. Battista LH, et al. Abnormal labor and induction of labor. In: Gabbe SG, et al. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Inc.; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06930-7..50015-3&isbn=978-0-443-06930-7&uniqId=243410035-2#4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06930-7..50015-3. Accessed May 11, 2011.
  9. Cunningham FG, et al. Williams Obstetrics. 23rd ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aid=6026579. Accessed May 11, 2011.
  10. Belogolovkin V, et al. Umbilical cord prolapse. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed May 11, 2011.
  11. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Induction of labor. ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 107. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2009;114:386.
  12. Healthy pregnancy. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/childbirth-beyond/labor-birth.cfm. Accessed May 11, 2011.
  13. Management of labor. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. http://www.icsi.org/labor/labor__management_of__full_version__2.html. Accessed May 12, 2011.
  14. Meconium aspiration syndrome. The Merck Manuals: Home Edition for Patients and Caregivers. http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec23/ch264i.html. Accessed May 17, 2011.
  15. Grotegut CA, et al. Oxytocin exposure during labor among women with postpartum hemorrhage secondary to uterine atony. American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. 2011;204:56.e1.
PR00117 July 23, 2011

© 1998-2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

  • Reprints
  • Print

  • Share on:

  • Email

Advertisement


Text Size: smaller largerlarger