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.
Nature typically prepares the cervix for delivery in the most efficient, comfortable way. However, when there's concern about mother's or baby's health or the pregnancy continues two weeks past the due date, inducing labor might be the best option.
Increased Risk of Complications
Inducing labor involves intervening in the body's natural processes by breaking the amniotic sac, using medication, or both. However it's done, it can lead to fetal distress (such as abnormal heart rate). 1 In addition, when labor is induced using medication, labor may take longer.
It can take up to two or three days to induce labor, but it usually takes less time. It may take more time if you're being induced before you're full-term or if it's your first baby.
It also tells us that many women may not want to have labor induced. And, while the chance of cesarean was lower in the induced patients, labor took longer than it did for those women who waited for labor to kick in on its own.
An induced labour can be more painful than a natural labour. In natural labour, the contractions build up slowly, but in induced labour they can start more quickly and be stronger. Because the labour can be more painful, you are more likely to want some type of pain relief.
Researchers have found that inducing labor after 37 weeks of pregnancy can lower the risk of perinatal mortality without increasing caesarean section rates. However, babies born to mothers who are induced are more likely to be admitted to a special care baby unit.
How long you stay in the hospital after birth varies based on many factors – including hospital rules, insurance, and your own birth experience – but the average hospital stay after birth is usually between 24 hours and four days.
In a patient whose cervix is already dilated, usually at least 2-3 cm, the induction process begins during the day with pitocin. From a timeline perspective, the induction process can be unpredictable, and especially for first time moms with an unfavorable cervix, can take more than 24 hours.
Babies born early (called premature babies) may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born on time. This is why it's important to wait until at least 39 weeks to induce labor. If your pregnancy is healthy, it's best to let labor begin on its own.
Inducing Labor at 39 Weeks Might Be Safer Than a C-Section… Here's Why. Researchers say inducing labor a week or two early reduces the chances of needing a cesarean delivery. It's also better for the health of the mother and the baby.
35.8% (just over one in three) of the women whose labour was induced at 40 weeks had a caesarean.
Risks of Induction
The cervix often needs to be softened before pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) will be effective. Pitocin causes contractions that both peak and become stronger more quickly than naturally occurring contractions. The result is a labor that is more difficult to manage.
A new trial published today in The British Medical Journal (BMJ) finds inducing labor at 41 weeks in low-risk pregnancies may significantly reduce the risk of infant death. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), past 42 weeks there's an increased risk of complications for mother and baby.
Usually your cervix will open up naturally on its own once you're ready to go into labor. However if your cervix shows no signs of dilating and effacing (softening, opening, thinning) to allow your baby to leave the uterus and enter the birth canal, your practitioner will need to get the ripening rolling.
If your cervix is not very dilated or effaced then you will come to the hospital the night before your induction to undergo 'cervical ripening. ' There are several methods that we may use with the ultimate goal to dilate and efface the cervix overnight under restful conditions.
On the day of your induction, please feel free to eat, drink, and shower as you normally would before you arrive. On the back, there is a step-by-step guide for what to expect when you arrive to your induction of labor appointment.
Steady, slow, relaxed rhythmic breathing helps to calm your body and mind. It may give you a sense of control or a feeling of letting go. Breathing patterns can help you, your baby, your support person and your health care providers during labour by: helping your body stay relaxed.
Some hospitals offer a way for women to walk around while receiving pitocin, but if you've opted for an epidural for pain relief, you may be limited to moving around in your room. Most inductions take several hours, especially if it's your first baby, but once you're in labor, it should occur as labor naturally would.
Pitocin is a synthetic form of the naturally occurring hormone oxytocin and should induce contractions. Contractions typically start about 30 minutes after you've been given the medication, and they're usually stronger, more regular, and more frequent than natural labor contractions.
The Newborns' Act requires that group health plans that offer maternity coverage pay for at least a 48-hour hospital stay following childbirth (96-hour stay in the case of Cesarean section).
An induction might be considered failed if the methods used don't result in a vaginal delivery after 24 or more hours. In such cases, a C-section might be necessary. Low fetal heart rate.
Pregnancy Controversy Gets New Data: Inducing Labor Can Be Safe : Shots - Health News Young women with simple pregnancies can safely ask a doctor to induce labor, a study finds. It doesn't increase their risk of needing a C-section after all and can even offer potential benefits.
At a Glance. A large study found that, for healthy women, inducing labor at full term rather than waiting for natural labor doesn't increase the risk of major complications for newborns. The findings also reverse the notion that inducing labor at full term increases the risk of needing surgical delivery.