Inducing Labor

In many cases if a pregnancy isn't proceeding as it should, or if the health of the mother or baby is threatened, doctors have to speed up the process by inducing labor.

Why Is Labor Induced?

About one out of every five pregnant women in the U.S. has their labor induced, according to the CDC. There are a number of reasons for inducing labor, from a late delivery to a medical complication in the pregnancy.

Your doctor might induce labor if:

• You are one to two weeks past your due date. Past 42 weeks, you and your baby are at greater risk for complications, and the placenta that nourishes your baby in the womb may have diminished so much that it can no longer properly feed your baby. The baby also may breathe in his first bowel movement (called meconium), which can block his airways.
• The membrane that holds the amniotic sac surrounding your baby breaks (your "water breaks") and you don't go into labor on your own (once your water breaks, you and your baby are at greater risk for infection).
• You have a health condition, such as high blood pressure (preeclampsia), gestational diabetes, bleeding, or an infection in your uterus, which puts your health or your baby's health at risk.
• Your placenta is partially or totally covering the opening to the uterus (placenta previa), or has separated from the wall of the uterus (placenta abruption).
• The umbilical cord drops down into the vagina (prolapses).
• The baby is sideways (transverse) in the uterus.
• Tests show that your baby is no longer growing or developing at a normal rate, or the baby's heart rate is abnormal.

Sometimes women (or their doctors) decide to induce labor for nonmedical reasons, for example if they live far away from the hospital and their doctor is worried that they won't get there in time if they do go into labor. Inducing labor for nonmedical reasons is controversial, however, because there are some minor risks involved.