“The baby’s getting too big.”
“I’m going out of town.”
“You have an old placenta.”
…
Many mom’s have heard them. There seem to be a hundred different reasons why your doctor may suggest an induction.
However, a lot of these reasons are given simply because they fit the doctor’s own standard of care, which may not agree with actual evidence based standards of care.
Desirre Andrews CLD, CCCE, LCCE, CLE has compiled a short list of the most common evidence based reasons why an induction may be medically necessary:
- Uterine infection
- Pre-eclampsia
- Prolonged rupture of membranes (longer than 48-72 hours)
- Labor dystocia
- Post dates past 42 weeks (partially mitigated by family history and menstruation cycle)
Some nervous mothers may inadvertently encourage their health care providers to find a reason for induction, and some providers have no problem finding a reason. So, be clear with your provider about your wishes. If your health care provider is suggesting an induction for other reasons, and an induction does not fit your birth plan, then it’s time to ask some serious questions.
Read Desirre’s full article “Labor Induction Myths” to view a long list of often cited induction reasons that are not medically proven.