By Jaimie Ramsey, Contributing Writer
When Your Doctor Wants to Induce Labor
Gone are the days when babies always came on their own timeline. Now, if a baby hasn’t arrived by their “due date,” most doctors will want to induce labor. Some even schedule inductions before the due date. Other doctors will encourage induction for other reasons that aren’t medically necessary.
If your doctor wants to induce labor, but you’re not sure that he or she has a good reason, read on. There are some legitimate reasons to induce labor, in order to protect the health of you and your baby. Make sure you know exactly why your doctor wants to induce before agreeing to it.
4 Reasons To Say No
1. Your Doctor Has a Tight Schedule and Wants to Have Control Over When Your Baby Arrives
This is probably the worst possible reason! If your doctor is impatient for your labor to begin because they have more than one patient due the same day, for example, or if they’re going to be on a vacation when your due date arrives, you might want to find a different care provider. Some doctors schedule C-sections for the same reason. A C-section should only be performed if it is absolutely medically necessary—not for anyone’s “convenience.”
2. You’ve Gone Past Your Due Date
Again, unless there’s a medically necessary reason (see below), being “late” is not a good reason to induce (even if you are so tired of being pregnant and just ready to meet this baby already!). Many doctors will get antsy after you hit that 40-week mark, but remind them that the due date is an estimate and that, especially for first babies, reaching 41 or even 42 weeks is not unusual. Again, as long as you and your baby are healthy, there’s no reason to not wait for your body to start labor on its own.
3. Your Doctor Suspects a “Big” Baby
There’s no way to measure a baby 100% accurately when they’re in the womb. Even ultrasounds can only give an estimate. It’s very rare for a woman to not be able to give birth vaginally because of a “too big” baby. Don’t let your doctor scare you into inducing too early, or scheduling a C-section, just because of the baby’s size.
4. You’ve Had Very Fast Labors in the Past
If you’re afraid you won’t get to the hospital in time, plan ahead–don’t plan for an induction. If you live quite a distance from the hospital, stay with friends or family or in a hotel nearby. And make sure you have supplies at home and in your car just in case.
Risks and Problems With Inductions
Inductions carry with them some really serious risks.
Pitocin causes much stronger, harder contractions than oxytocin (the natural hormone that your body makes) does, and those stronger contractions are not only more painful for the mama but a lot harder on the baby. Inducing too soon can result in a premature baby, who can have breathing problems, among other issues.
Pitocin-induced labors have a higher chance of resulting in more interventions, like an epidural, forceps or vacuum-assisted delivery, or a C-section. Cytotec-induced labors can cause the baby to go into distress and can cause ruptured membranes, which is very serious.
(As a side note, my doctor was concerned that my fluid levels were too low, so I was induced with Cytotec at 42 weeks. We found that my son had passed some meconium in utero, and had inhaled some fluid which required his lungs to be suctioned immediately after birth. While I wouldn’t recommend induction with Cytotec, we were grateful that my son was born when he was, so that other problems could be prevented.)
When Inducing is Wise
There are good, legitimate, medically necessary reasons to induce.
If the mom is experiencing preeclampsia, if there is a dangerously low level of amniotic fluid, if the mom’s or the baby’s health is threatened, if there is a problem with the placenta, an induction can be life-saving for mom, baby or both.
But because of the risks involved with induction, make sure that if you and your care provider do choose to induce, it’s for the right reason. No woman has been pregnant forever–even if it feels like it for you! And finally, make the choice that is healthiest and safest for both you and your baby.
Great post! Simple to read and spit on!!
I wish I had a printable version to hand out to patients that was coming to the hospital to be induced.
I’m in the situation now. I conceived January 14th of 2016. My doctor is measuring me two weeks earlier. (All three of my previous babies measure two weeks bigger, I’m 6′ tall) I have a new doctor, and she moved my due date up 2 weeks and said she will induce a week early because of my middle child’s previous Csection. I have had a 11lb son after the csection via VBac. I told her I don’t want to induce 3 weeks early especially since all 3 of my children have all gone into labor at 40-41 weeks gestation. The csection of my middle child due to her being breech. I’m very anxious and it doesn’t seem like she is listening to me. I’m not going to show up to any induction. I want to go into labor naturally.
My doctor was on vacation on my 38 week prenatal visit. The fill in doctor told me they like to induce in cases like mine at 39 weeks. I said what case is that? My pregnancy has been perfect. Apparently being a first time mom at 41 is their only reason. I said no thank you. After that she said in that case they would induce at my due date. I said not likely unless something is wrong other than my age. She said if need to discuss with my regular doctor. I
My niece just delivered her 2nd baby last week. Her due date was Nov. 30 and her doctor wanted to induce labor on Dec. 1. She had a fast labor with her first, but lives close enough to the hospital so we all were concerned and advised her not to induce for the doctor’s convenience. Thankfully, her 6 lb. 8 oz. baby girl was born at 1pm on the due date. It is so strange to me that inducing labor is almost required when at the time I was having my children it was more of a “I’m two weeks overdue and I just want this baby OUT!!” plea to the doctor. With no “real” reason to induce I’m sticking to the old belief that they will be ready when they’re ready and a due date is not an exact date for any baby.
[…] When Your Doctor Wants to Induce Labor: 4 Reasons to Say No— here are the reasons you might NOT want to schedule an induction in the absence of medical complications. Modern Alternative Mama (March 6, 2016) […]
My doc wants to induce the labor of i dont deliver till due date. Now, she moved my due date tl.almost a week earlier, i guess the baby looks bigger (both husband and I are around 6’tall). Plus i know when i conceived, and a previous obgyn where i confirmed pregnancy at cca.5-6 weeks gave me a due date (had to switch practice for work issues) . I just didnt tell my current obgyn that because the practice would not take me in if knew i’ve been seen by other obgyn. My current obgyn was sweet and understanding all my visits, until at 36/7 week appointment. She came in with a print out of induced labor facts…the reason she said she seen too many things happening by waiting, and that placenta gets old after due date. How can I convince her to.let me wait past the due date at least 10-13 days before talking induction…i.feel like i will stay home to.give birth of next week she wont listen me on my birthing plan
I am so concerned my daughter in law has a due date of Oct 13 2019, she has asked the doctor to deliver early because her first baby had meconium and she thinks it was due to her doctor not being there but a fill in doc, now this doc is going on vacation first of Oct, so she requested early delivery. the baby isn’t even head down yet shes to the side. Are there repercussions of this early of delivery, is it possible the doctor allowed due to there being no problems? I am nervous.
Hi I love another town away and my car broke during COVID. My appt was for a check up yesterday and I couldn’t get there, due to unforeseen circumstances. But, I did make it there I am at 40 weeks n 40 yrs old the baby WAS trans and I had an early morning appt mfm ultrasound the baby and I feel asleep. She scared me, to go directly to the er and have an emergency c-section! I finally got ahold of my Dr that night and he yelled at me to go to the hospital. I went and stayed the night for,my son to be head down and everything was fine the next morning. DR checked me and released me the next day! All THAT waste of time.so, I missed me appt yesterday n the nurse told me to go again to the hospital, where my reg ob was there n wanted me to stay to induce LABOR! He’ll no! I’ve had 4 kiddos. Anyway, now I signed out ama and am afraid that if something does happen to the baby, who is measuring find and heartbeat fine. BUt, delivery can do thing’s. Will I get in trouble w the law for leaving ama and not letting the Dr induce me? I asked, induce on what grounds my Drs response, I don’t feel like you need to be pregnant ANYMORE!? And then he said death! I was mortified n left crying n shaking. Anyway, good luck EVERYONE don’t let Drs bully you!
I got pregnant with my fourth child when I was 42. I am very healthy and my pregnancies all were uncomplicated. I did have a problem during delivery of my 2nd child. His shoulder was momentarily stuck. The midwife handled it expertly and he was born healthy. Because of that history and concern that my 4th baby was measuring big, I was pressured to have an induction with my 4th child when I went past my due date without going into labor naturally. The midwife who was scheduled to deliver my baby supported my decision to wait, however the doctor overseeing the midwife threatened to remove her from my case if she couldn’t convince me to be induced. I have to admit that the doctor at least had a medical reason for a suggesting induction, but I refused. I felt that my overall health and previous pregnancies had proven that my body was capable of handling very large children (between 9-11 pounds). All my births were vaginal, no epidural, no episiotomy, no tearing. With all of them I waited and allowed my body to do what it was designed to do. My son was born 10 days after his due date— I don’t say he was late because he was not. He was exactly on time. My midwife asked me to deliver in a hands and knees position to minimize the chances of a shoulder getting stuck, which I happily agreed to. The baby weighed 10 pounds 3 oz and once again I had no pain medications, no episiotomy and no tearing. I am convinced that had I tried to force a 10 lbs. 3 oz. baby through an unripened cervix there would have been complications—and probably a C section. I am not faulting the doctor for suggesting induction because he was acting on his faith in medical interventions and his desire to be in control. I just felt that if his fears were justified, the outcome would probably have been the same — a C-section. I just wanted to give my body a chance before making that almost inevitable.