If doctors induce labor, what are the chances it won't work?

Question

I heard that if you are induced you have a greater risk of having a c-section. Is that true? Any one care to share their story?

Answer 1

Take this interactive quiz and it will tell you if you are favorable for induction.

Answer 2

This is one of those things that winds up being sort of "false statistics" because it's not the induction of the labor that causes the rise in the C-section statistics. It's the fact that, for whatever reason, your body didn't go into labor naturally.

Sometimes your body just needs a jump start. Then you take off on your own. They call that giving a "whiff" of pitocin :)

Sometimes your body appears to have no interest in giving up the baby for childbirth, your cervix is still thick and closed, no dilation at all, and you've got a lot of ground to cover before delivery can take place.

Sometimes the size or position of the baby, or just the presentation of the head, will cause your body to say "Okay... uh... this isn't happening like this. Figure out another way..." which introduces the C-section.

If your baby is not HUGE (like more than 9 lbs) and your body is doing something on its own (cervix is thinning... dilation of maybe 1cm or something... some Braxton-Hicks contractions from time to time - this can feel like the baby is stretching an arm or leg out in a first time mom) then chances are, some pitocin and lots of walking will get the job done.

If the baby is in a bad position and your body is totally adverse to the concept of vaginal delivery, the C-section is not a terrible thing and some women actually recover from that faster than they do a long difficult labor. I've heard it's certainly a more relaxing delivery. (I was asleep for my only C-section and it was an urgent one due to baby in distress, so I can't say it was relaxing for me... but several friends have talked about how special their delivery was when it was planned that way or decided after a long labor that did not progress.)

Talk to your doctor about using changes of position to get the baby moving down and out. Sometimes a nurse-midwife or doula can help better with this than a physician. Labor and Delivery nurses are often very schooled in "what helps" including the use of a birthing chair or having you on all fours or walking or having you squat to reposition the baby's head.

With everyone working together... the mom... the coach... the doc, nurses, etc and the extra boost of the medication that induces you, you've got a really good chance of a vaginal delivery. If it doesn't happen that way, keep in mind that there's a reason, and a C-section delivery can be very special too and much less stressful on the baby than a long and difficult delivery.

Answer 3

I was induced with both of my daughters and I will probably end up induced with this one. My blood pressure always goes up the last months of pregnancy. I have never had a problem because of the inducment. The only complication I had with both of them, was with my daughter who was born earlier this year. I was only dilated to an 8 and started pushing. The had to put an internal moniter on her because her heart rate kept dropping. Needless to say they had to dilate me, OUCH and boy did that hurt. I have heard being induced makes your contractions harder. I don't know my oldest daughter was actually really quick and easy.




What risks are associated with inducing labor?
The primary risk you face if you're induced is that the induction won't work and you'll need a cesarean. The process of ripening the cervix and then inducing labor with oxytocin can take a long time. If you still haven't gone into labor after 24 to 48 hours, your practitioner may consider it a failed attempt and you'll have to deliver by c-section. This process can be very hard psychologically on you and your partner. What's more, having a c-section after a failed induction is associated with higher rates of complications, especially infection, and longer hospital stays.

In addition, certain techniques, including using Pitocin, prostaglandins, or nipple stimulation, occasionally hyperstimulate the uterus (meaning you have contractions that come too often or are abnormally long and strong), which in turn can stress your baby. In rare cases, prostaglandins or Pitocin also cause placental abruption or even uterine rupture, though ruptures are extremely rare in women who've never had a c-section or other uterine surgery. (Prostaglandins are associated with a relatively high rate of rupture in women attempting a vaginal birth after a cesarean (VBAC), so they should never be used if that's the case. And some experts don't think women attempting VBAC should be induced with Pitocin, either.)

To assess both the frequency and length of your contractions as well as your baby's heart rate, you'll need to have continuous electronic monitoring during an induced labor. In most cases you have to lie or sit while being monitored, but some hospitals offer telemetry, which lets you walk around during the process.

Remember that your practitioner will recommend inducing your labor only when she believes that the risks to you and your baby of waiting for labor to begin on its own are higher than the risks of intervening.

Answer 4

There question is why did the induction take place. My doctor was going to induce for my son the day I went into labor. He was 3 weeks late by this time and I ended up having a c-section.

I don' think inducing is what necessitated the c-section as much as the situation.

Talk to your doc, he will be more then happy to explain it to you.

Answer 5

It all depends on how your body accepts the chemicals/hormones they use to induce you. I have been induced twice and each one was a little different although my first contraction with both were the serious major cramp of a contraction that lasted around 5 minutes each. (felt like longer) On my first pregnancy my water broke 2 hours after induction. On my second pregnancy they broke my water 3 hours after we started. I also had pitosin (sp?) after receiving my epidural which slowed things down. And was able to deliver vaginally.

The risk of having a c-section depends on how your baby tolerates labor and if your pelvis has enough room for the baby of which your doctor will be able to assess your pelvis size anytime during your pregnancy (my midwife checked mine out my first month of pregnancy to confirm I had enough room for an average size baby) Baby will tell you if he/she can tolerate labor and delivery by doing a non-stress test (they monitor baby movements, contractions and how the heart beat does during those times).

My first baby was 13 hours of labor of which the last two was in the active stage of actually pushing most of that time, they ended up using forecyps and if that didn't work I would have required a c-section.

Second baby was five hours of labor and the last five minutes consisted of only two pushes. Both babies had the same size heads, same length and within 8 ounces of each other. Around 8 pounds.

Good luck and keep an open mind to what your doctor or midwife suggests!

Answer 6

I don't think the risk is really higher, I have known lots of people to have induction, two of mine were induced. I certainly never noticed a higher amount of women having an c-section.

Answer 7

I think its true, cause I was induced. My son was 2 weeks over due, and he didn't want to come out. First the doctor put Cervidil (Spelling?) at 7pm and that didn't work. All that gave me was pain till 7am. Then they put Pitocin in my ivy and I dilated to 4 cm and they broke my water. Then the doctor realizes that my son was posterior, so doctor said, "Ok, well, to be on the safe side, we will have to do a c-section on you."
I was like, "Ah, sh*t!!" and that was at 7pm.
My son was delivered 8:05pm. All that pain for nothing!!

Answer 8

There is always a chance it won't work. I went in to labor at 6 months pregnant because of a car accident. They stopped my labor. But at 39 weeks when they tried to start it again it wouldn't work. There was absolutely no effect. They tried again a week later and left me on it for 12 hours and all it did was make his heart rate sky rocket.

Answer 9

there is a greater risk. of c-section with it but not much higher. depends on the woman and the reasons for inducing. ask your obgyn about it

Answer 10

It all depends on the situation. If your cervix is ripe, then an induction is fine. If not, you have a very increased risk of c-section. Ask your doctor how you score on the Bishop Scale. Ask if you have a good indication for induction.

Answer 11

i have kids,and all of them were induced, i've never had to have a c-section either, it all depends on how fast you go. i've been labor for almost 36 hrs once, but any how your dr will make sure your safe and the baby..