{"id":4997,"date":"2023-06-24T16:58:49","date_gmt":"2023-06-24T09:58:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=4997"},"modified":"2023-06-24T16:58:49","modified_gmt":"2023-06-24T09:58:49","slug":"labor-induction-risks-separate-myth-from-fact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/?p=4997","title":{"rendered":"Labor Induction Risks: Separate Myth from Fact"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"drop-cap text-big text-gray\"> <span class=\"drop-cap__first text-dropcap \">W<\/span>hen I found out I was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/healthy-pregnancy\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/healthy-pregnancy\/\">pregnant<\/a> with my first child, I knew right away that I\u2019d want to schedule my birth through elective induction. My husband and I had just moved to New York City, with no car, no family, and no clue why the subway was never on time. Whenever labor started, I didn\u2019t want any trouble en route to the hospital.<\/div>\n<p>On the day of my appointment, I waddled into the maternity ward in no hurry and with no incident. I was given Misoprostol, to \u201cripen\u201d my cervix. Later, I had a Foley balloon inserted to help dilation and I got an IV to administer Pitocin, a hormone that causes uterine contractions. After 12 hours, six loops of my labor playlist, one last-minute epidural, and maybe a little swearing, I was holding my happy, healthy baby girl. I gave the whole experience an A-plus.<\/p>\n<p>So, when I was pregnant with my second, I started planning for another induction. But by then, I\u2019d made a wealth of mom friends, and when I mentioned my plan, their reactions were mixed.<\/p>\n<p>Some raved about their own elective inductions, saying it was a safe way to get peace of mind about where and when they delivered. Plus, they talked about how inductions helped avoid <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acog.org\/womens-health\/faqs\/when-pregnancy-goes-past-your-due-date\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.acog.org\/womens-health\/faqs\/when-pregnancy-goes-past-your-due-date\">fetal risks<\/a> that are more common later in pregnancy.<\/p>\n<p>Others couldn\u2019t believe I would sign up to be induced. One said that the process increased the chances of a caesarian section, while another said her induction was much more painful than her other births. \u201cWhy not just let the baby come when she\u2019s ready?\u201d my friend asked with a shrug. \u201cShe\u2019ll know when it\u2019s time.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content \" style=\"\" data-module-init=\"related-content\" data-module-immediate=\"\" v-cloak=\"\">\n<div class=\"related-content__wrapper \" v-cloak=\"\" :class=\"{'is-loaded':isLoaded}\">\n<p> <span class=\"inline pr-6 text-seafoam-dark\">Related Stories<\/span> <\/p>\n<p> <related-content class=\"related-content__links\" parent-article-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/labor-induction-risks\/\" current-title=\"Is Spontaneous Labor Really Better Than Being Induced? Here\u2019s What the Research Says\" current-image=\"GettyImages-1428779304-425x285.jpg\" v-on:parsely-posts-loaded=\"onPostsLoaded\" start-date=\"2022-12-23\" tag=\"div\" inline-template=\"\" url=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/labor-induction-risks\/\" secret=\"w5ztterVB03LGZJLfXS0hf3EvQBuFFIWew9hmVQxthU\" apikey=\"wellandgood.com\" limit=\"3\"> <\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"related-content__card mb-[10px] sm:mb-[20px]\" :class=\"{'related-content__card--full':posts.length === 1}\" v-for=\"(post, key) in posts\"> <a v-on:click.prevent=\"trackLinkGA($event, key)\" :href=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/labor-induction-risks\/post.url\" data-url-source=\"related-content\" class=\"related-content__link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"\"> <\/p>\n<div class=\"related-content__card--image bg-tan\" :style=\"{ backgroundImage: 'url(' + post.image_url + ')' }\"> <img :src=\"https:\/\/www.wellandgood.com\/labor-induction-risks\/post.image_url\" :alt=\"post.title\"\/> <\/div>\n<p> <\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> <\/related-content> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>I wasn\u2019t sure what to do. My first induction went smoothly, but after hearing horror stories from other moms, I wondered if I\u2019d just been lucky.<\/p>\n<h2>Why inductions get a bad rap<\/h2>\n<p>The truth is, inductions have had a bad reputation for years. For one thing, my friend\u2019s claim that induction caused higher rates of c-sections was a widely accepted theory for decades. Research from the 1970s, and even into <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0002937899702656\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/abs\/pii\/S0002937899702656\">1999<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/10831992\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/10831992\/\">2000<\/a>, seemed to connect induction with the invasive surgery. However, a <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23834460\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23834460\/\">2013 study<\/a> found that the previous research failed to account for birth complications. Inductions, it turns out, actually help <em>avoid<\/em> c-sections.<\/p>\n<p>Another long-standing concern is that induction could affect the health of the baby. While many people are pregnant for 40 or 41 weeks, elective inductions are widely available starting at 39 weeks gestation, which is considered full-term. However, some worry that not giving the fetus those extra days, or weeks, in the womb could be detrimental to its health.<\/p>\n<p>But the often-cited\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.acog.org\/clinical\/clinical-guidance\/practice-advisory\/articles\/2018\/08\/clinical-guidance-for-integration-of-the-findings-of-the-arrive-trial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.acog.org\/clinical\/clinical-guidance\/practice-advisory\/articles\/2018\/08\/clinical-guidance-for-integration-of-the-findings-of-the-arrive-trial\">ARRIVE trial<\/a>, which was published by the <em>New England Journal of Medicine<\/em> in 2018,\u00a0found that delivery at 39 weeks did not increase complications for babies. In fact, letting a pregnancy go into post-term (42 weeks or later) is associated with a number of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.acog.org\/womens-health\/faqs\/when-pregnancy-goes-past-your-due-date#:~:text=Other%20risks%20include%20an%20increased,goes%20past%20your%20due%20date.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.acog.org\/womens-health\/faqs\/when-pregnancy-goes-past-your-due-date#:~:text=Other%20risks%20include%20an%20increased,goes%20past%20your%20due%20date.\">risks for the fetus<\/a>, including stillbirth, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/conditions-and-diseases\/meconium-aspiration-syndrome#:~:text=Meconium%20aspiration%20syndrome%20occurs%20when,to%2010%20percent%20of%20births.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.hopkinsmedicine.org\/health\/conditions-and-diseases\/meconium-aspiration-syndrome#:~:text=Meconium%20aspiration%20syndrome%20occurs%20when,to%2010%20percent%20of%20births.\">meconium aspiration<\/a> (when the fetus has their first bowel movement while in the womb and ingests it), and decreased amniotic fluid (which can lead to a restricted flow of oxygen to the fetus).<\/p>\n<p>Obstetrician <a href=\"https:\/\/axiawh.com\/providers\/beaven-lauren\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/axiawh.com\/providers\/beaven-lauren\/\">Lauren Beaven, MD, FACOG,<\/a> of Axia Women\u2019s Health in Lexington, Kentucky, explains, \u201cFetuses at 39 weeks have reached maximum development of their lungs and brains, meaning that waiting until 40 weeks or after does not improve newborn respiratory capability, feeding, or temperature control. Babies born electively at 39 weeks have developed to their full potential and past 40 weeks this does not improve any further.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She notes that risks increase for babies born before 39 weeks but explains that elective inductions shouldn\u2019t be performed before that point anyway. Any induction performed before full term would only be done out of medical necessity. \u201cWe expect that respiratory temperature and feeding behaviors may be less developed in those [premature] babies, but the benefit of delivering them due to medical complications of the pregnancy outweighs those risks,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>Another common worry is that inductions make labor <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au\/induced-labour\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au\/induced-labour\">more painful<\/a>. However, in one study, parents who were induced reported <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJMoa1800566\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJMoa1800566\">less pain during labor<\/a> and claimed they felt \u201cmore perceived control during childbirth.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>The real risks of inducing labor<\/h2>\n<p>There are some rare <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/labor-and-delivery\/in-depth\/inducing-labor\/art-20047557\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/healthy-lifestyle\/labor-and-delivery\/in-depth\/inducing-labor\/art-20047557\">risks to induction<\/a>. For one thing, it doesn\u2019t always work, which could mean another induction or even a c-section. Some methods of induction can increase the risk of infection. Plus, induction increases the risk that the uterine muscles won&#8217;t properly contract after birth, which could lead to heavy bleeding after delivery.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes Pitocin, which is often given during induction, can cause the fetal heart rate to drop, though Dr. Beaven shares that this can also happen during spontaneous labor. \u201cIf this occurs with Pitocin, the medication can be turned off and there are methods that are used immediately to try to bring the baby\u2019s heart rate back to normal,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n<h2>Figuring out what\u2019s right for your birth plan<\/h2>\n<p>Even with these risks in mind, I felt sure that another induction would be safe, and even beneficial. But I wondered if it was truly my preference. Lots of parents talk about the convenience of going through the early stages of labor at home. And because I didn\u2019t want to leave my clingy toddler with grandparents for days and days, I even considered a home birth.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bostoncommunitymidwifery.com\/midwives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.bostoncommunitymidwifery.com\/midwives\">Tara Kenny<\/a>, a certified professional midwife, certified lactation counselor, and doula based in Boston, acknowledges that there are many benefits to inductions. However, she doesn\u2019t want pregnant people to feel unnecessarily pressured to induce.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe ARRIVE trial has kind of tipped a lot of providers into the camp of \u2018let\u2019s induce people earlier\u2019 because they tend to have fewer complications,\u201d she says. \u201cBut I don\u2019t think it\u2019s fair or appropriate to say that to every pregnant person. I think that it should be more of an informed choice.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kenny adds that while a medically-indicated induction can be life-saving for those who need it, she hopes pregnant people know that most people who wait for spontaneous labor have perfectly healthy births. \u201cI think that we\u2019re losing sight of the fact that, statistically speaking, it\u2019s normal to be pregnant up until 41 weeks and a few days,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n<p>She adds that while studies show that induction can provide a safer birth experience for the parent and baby, the statistical differences are marginal. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJMoa1509117\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJMoa1509117\">One study<\/a> published in the <em>New England Journal of Medicine<\/em> in 2016 revealed that the women who were induced had 3 percent fewer c-sections than those who weren\u2019t. So, while inducing may benefit some, it\u2019s not a cure-all.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think as a midwife, it is our responsibility to present all the information and ultimately let the patients be the one to decide,\u201d Kenny says.<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p>&#8220;It is our responsibility to present all the information and ultimately let the patients be the one to decide.&#8221; \u2014Midwife Tara Kenny<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Physician <a href=\"https:\/\/wexnermedical.osu.edu\/find-a-doctor\/william-grobman-md-mba-126493\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/wexnermedical.osu.edu\/find-a-doctor\/william-grobman-md-mba-126493\">William Grobman, MD, MBA,<\/a> the lead researcher on the 2018 article \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJMoa1800566\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.nejm.org\/doi\/full\/10.1056\/NEJMoa1800566\">Labor Induction versus Expectant Management in Low-Risk Nulliparous Women<\/a>,\u201d echoes Kenny\u2019s claim that, with the margin being so small, it should be about the pregnant person\u2019s preference. \u201cI feel very strongly that people should have the option to induce or not induce and that this should be a person-centered decision,\u201d he states.<\/p>\n<p>When it came to delivering my second daughter, I didn\u2019t have a chance to decide on induction or not. At 37 weeks I was diagnosed with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/preeclampsia\/diagnosis-treatment\/drc-20355751\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" data-vars-event=\"body text\" data-vars-click-url=\"https:\/\/www.mayoclinic.org\/diseases-conditions\/preeclampsia\/diagnosis-treatment\/drc-20355751\">preeclampsia<\/a>, a potentially life-threatening condition that causes high blood pressure during pregnancy and is remedied by giving birth. My induction was started within the hour. Once again, I was administered Misoprostol, I had a Foley balloon, and got Pitocin. The induction methods were the same, but this time, labor seemed much harder and lasted twice as long. My epidural fell out twice and I spent the whole time nervous about my blood pressure. But all turned out well, and in the end, I got to hold my new baby girl. I give it an A-plus.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1675549\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I knew right away that I\u2019d want to schedule my birth through elective induction. My husband and I had just moved to New York City, with no car, no family, and no clue why the subway was never on time. Whenever labor started, I &hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":4998,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4997","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4997","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4997"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4997\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4998"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4997"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4997"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loudhdtv.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4997"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}