If mother and baby are healthy, what reasons could there be to induce labour?

Question

It seems a bit more popular than it maybe should be. Why is it done in the absence of medical conditions that make it a good idea?

Answer 1

Perhaps it's to ensure a healthy delivery.. esp. going past the due date. risks include:
* The placenta's ability to provide baby with adequate oxygen and nutrients may be compromised
* The volume of essential amniotic fluid may decline as baby grows (increases possibility of a pinched umbilical cord)
* The possibility of fetal distress increases
* The baby could grow too large to pass safely through the birth canal (also known as macrosomia)

With post-term pregnancies, there's also an increased possibility that the baby could have a bowel movement while still in the womb, putting him in danger of inhaling the waste product known as meconium.

Answer 2

Being overdue. Sometimes, a mother can be healthy, but have temporary conditions leading to inductions; Dehydration and insomnia are two examples. I was so exausted from not sleeping with my first that I was delirious. I started to doubt I would have the strength (or my wits about me) to go through labor. Since the due date is based on 40 weeks, and baby is done around 38, that gives a two-week window in which "induction" can happen. I would rather be induced if I know baby is "done," and it is best for the both of us(for whatever reason) for her to come now. With both of my first two children, I was in my Dr's office on the first day of my 38th week-bawling my eyes out. At the end, it all gets to be too much for some of us.
It seems to me that C-Sections are being given out like the time of day these days, especially if you are a celebrity!

Answer 3

Every woman I have known that are induced when both mother and baby are "fine" were induced because they were past their due date. Just as a premature baby can have problems, a baby that is well beyond its due date can develop problems too. Also the longer the baby is in the bigger it gets and sometimes they are induced in order to prevent the mother from having a 12 pound child!

Answer 4

I couldn't wait to give birth, I thought I might have to be induced but my baby came exactly on her due date.
Most practitioners won't let you wait longer than a week to give birth because it puts you and your baby at greater risk for a host of problems. For example, it's more likely you'll develop an infection in your uterus that could be dangerous for your baby, or that your placenta will stop functioning properly, which could lead to a stillbirth or a baby born with serious problems. What's more, your labor is more likely to be prolonged or stalled, both you and your baby have an increased risk of injury during a vaginal delivery, and your chances of needing a c-section are higher.

Answer 5

To get the baby out!

There are tons of reasons both for convenience and medical for inducement.

Babies weight, comfort of the mother, doctor availability or you just want the little sucker out. The list is endless.

Answer 6

Doctors usually don't let you go over 2 weeks, due to when they first give pregnancy test they allow 2 weeks either way, some medications eg: for ashma can disguise that the placenta is breaking down when this happens can cause serious problems

Answer 7

if the mother and child are healthy i think they only induce labor if you are past your due date and labor hasn't began on it own or if right around your due date they discover the baby is rather large sometimes they induce they induced a girl i know 2 weeks early cause her baby was 10lbs i think those would be the only reasons if mom and baby are both healthy

Answer 8

after 40 weeks a baby no longer becomes healthy. They start getting old in the womb. their skin (mucosa) starts to fade away and since our skin is our big protector., Infection is a real problem to that system.
The other is Miconium (Sp?). Baby when old will defecate in the womb. If they go to swallow that it can cause infection to the lungs. Pneumonia is a real issue.

Answer 9

It's done because after 41-42 weeks, all women's placenta stops producing nutrients like it should. It can also cause the placenta to get weak and tear away from the wall of the uterus and then cause major bleeding. Also, it is used for women with health problems (like you said) who doctor's do not want to go to full term for one reason or another. Most doctor's are doing what's best for their patients, I wish people would really remember that.

Answer 10

If pregnancy is passed 42nd week labour is most likely to be induced as baby could be getting to big to pass through birth canal and meconium could put babys life at risk. Also placenta starts to deteriorate after 42 weeks therfore given baby less oxygen.

hope this helps!