If you’ve ever experienced pregnancy, you know the last month seems to drag on and on! It can be so uncomfortable carrying around so much weight especially with those lovely hormones that loosen our ligaments in preparation for birth. Sleeping can be almost impossible with our big bellies in the way with only one sleeping position composed of 47 pillows surrounding us, only to be woken up 62 times to pee throughout the night. Not to mention, many women experience insomnia during pregnancy adding to the restlessness of it all.
At least for me, the last 3 weeks or so of pregnancy, I seemed to gain 10 more pounds and the last 2 weeks my beautiful belly-skin ripped to shreds and it expanded seemingly way beyond capacity.
It’s uncomfortable,
down-right miserable for some…. but if the option of induction comes up…. don’t be too eager to jump on that.
Inducing labor is the process of trying to force the body into labor, artificially. This can and is done often for reasons of convenience, (for doctors and mothers) and also for solid medical reasons (serious intrauterine growth retardation, documented placental malfunction, and deteriorating preeclampsia). (Wagner, 2006)
A survey from 2002 showed that 44% of all births are induced with uterine stimulant drugs. Only about 10% have a medical reason to induce labor.
Spontaneous labor is the body’s natural way of starting the labor process. Certain hormones are activated by the baby and the placenta in order for the birth to proceed. There are very few indicators that actually tell us when our body will begin labor.
Think dilation is a good indication, pre-labor? Think again. Evidence tells us that a woman might be 4 centimeters dilated for several weeks before labor begins, or she may be completely closed and within 4 hours be delivering her baby. It’s really not helpful to be “checked” for dilation, especially not before labor has even begun.
I’m a firm believer in natural birth. Letting our bodies lead the way and proceed as designed has been proven to be safer and healthier for mothers and babies. Ultimately, we all want to be safe and keep our babies safe, right?
Induction has been shown to increase the risks associated with birth, substantially.
So why is it that mothers choose to be induced so often, even without medical reason? I believe all Mothers want what’s best for their babies. Of course we want our babies to be safe above anything else, and we also want to be healthy for our babies; we want safe births for ourselves.
It’s clear to me that women are unaware of the risks of induction and the interventions that occur during the process.
So I’ll just give you a list here of the risks involved.
Higher chance of C-section- Trying to force a cervix to soften and open is not always successful. A study from Obstetrics & Gynecology shows that C-sections rates were 17.5% when inducing labor, compared to about 7% in spontaneous labor (1999).
Premature birth/NICU time– For many women, it can be hard to know exactly when ovulation occured when baby was conceived. Many times, “due dates” can be a week off. Even 1 week can make such a huge difference! A premature baby will often have difficulty feeding, breathing, and keeping their temperature stable. Premature babies are more likely to die.
Low heart rate for baby– The medications used for inducing labor are very strong. Contractions will come stronger than natural contractions and this can decrease your baby’s oxygen supply.
Infection– more likely with induction. (Mayo Clinic, 2017.)
Umbilical cord prolapse– the cord falls through the vagina before baby…. not safe. More likely during induction of labor.
If you are planning for a VBAC (vaginal birth after ceserean)- know that the risk is increased for Uterine rupture, Amniotic fluid embolism, perinatal mortality, and maternal mortality when using induction drugs.
Hemorrhage– Often, the uterus can become so fatigued throughout labor from the use of harsh induction drugs that afterwards, it doesn’t do it’s job properly of clamping down and stopping the bleeding. This is very dangerous.
So besides these risks, labor will be much more painful!
Contractions caused by Pitocin (artificial oxytocin) come much harder and closer together compared to natural contractions, making labor much more difficult to manage. Pitocin doesn’t cross the blood-brain barrier, therefore endorphins are not released. A woman without her endorphins will likely require an epidural which comes with it’s own set of risks. Epidurals alter the course of labor and prolong it, usually ending with instrumental delivery at birth (forceps or vacuum).
Reasons to wait for spontaneous labor
In the last weeks of pregnancy:
-antibodies are passed from mother to baby (healthier newborns!)
-baby gains weight and strength
-baby stores iron
-baby developes sucking and swallowing abilities
-baby stores brown fat that regulates body temperature
-baby’s lungs mature
I know you want your baby to be healthy. I know you want the easiest birth possible. I encourage you to weigh the risks in your own situation and don’t consent to being induced before 42 weeks, without medical reason.
Wouldn’t it be great if we all viewed those last weeks of pregnancy differently? Try reframing this time by looking at how important it is for you and your baby.
Peace.
References:
Labor induction Risks. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/labor-induction/basics/risks/prc-20019032
(2006). Saying “No” to Induction. The Journal of Perinatal Education. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1595289/
SEYB, S., BERKA, R., SOCOL, M. & DOOLEY, S. (1999). Risk of Cesarean Delivery With Elective Induction of Labor at Term in Nulliparous Women. Obstetrics & Gynecology. 94(4):600-607
Wang M, Dorer D, Fleming M, Catlin E. Clinical outcomes of near-term infants. Pediatrics. 2004;114:372–376.
