Methods of and Information on Induction

 Induction Of Labor

The first thing you will need to decide is if it appropriate to induce labor (start labor artificially). In most cases, women can safely go into labor on their own, even though this may mean waiting. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists does not recommend elective induction (starting labor without medical reason).

It's important to remember that Rushing Birth, Even A Little Can Be Harmful To Your Baby's Health.

Some health care providers will recommend artificially starting labor if you experience certain problems with your pregnancy.

• Toxemia, Pre-Eclampisa
  This is a dangerous condition in pregnancy. Left untreated it can send the mother into convulsions and can cause death. While some experts feel there is no clear indication of the cause of Toxemia, Dr. Thomas Brewer has conducted extensive research that concludes it is a nutritional problem that can be corrected during pregnancy.

• Gestational Diabetes
  For some women with gestational diabetes, health care providers suggest starting labor early to prevent problems in labor due to a "too big" baby. The concern is a baby whose bones, specifically the shoulders, are too large to be birthed safely. Gestational Diabetes appears in 2 - 12% of the population of the US (wide variation cited by researchers), and in most cases proper nutrition and exercise can have a tremendous impact on the health of the mother and baby.

• Overdue Baby
  The concern with a baby who is overdue is not that the baby is late, but that being late will cause a problem for the baby. Sometimes when a pregnancy goes over 42 weeks the placenta begins to age, decreasing its effectiveness at giving the baby oxygen and food. If this happens, the baby becomes sick and is considered "post mature." Because this only happens in pregnancies over 42 weeks, most health care providers will not allow a pregnancy to continue beyond that.

  If your pregnancy has gone beyond the accepted norm of 42 weeks, it is possible that your baby is healthy and will benefit from more time in the uterus. To determine the health of your baby you may do fetal kick counting or you can undergo stress or non-stress tests in your doctor's office.

• Large Baby
  Some practitioners will suggest beginning labor if they believe the baby will be too large for the mother to give birth. There is no way for a doctor to accurately predict the size of the baby (ultrasound can be wrong a pound or more either way), or to predict the amount the pelvis will stretch during labor. The only way to accurately diagnose a baby that is too large to be born is to have a trial of labor with adequate pushing time.

  A similar concern among mothers is often that a large baby is more difficult or painful to push out. At this it is important to remember that the difference between a baby born at 38 weeks and a baby born at 42 weeks is generally 2 pounds of fat (not bony tissues) since the major growth for the baby has been completed and the last month of pregnancy is spent in building fat supplies to help the baby survive the first week of life. Fatty tissue is mushy and pliable and can squeeze out easily. The size of bony tissue is more related to genetics than whether or not the baby had an extra week in the uterus.

How to Start Labor

After making the decision that it is safer for your baby to be born right away, you will need to decide what the safest way for you to start labor will be.

Starting Labor with Natural Labor Stimulation Techniques 
Some women are successful at using natural labor stimulation techniques to begin their labor. Generally these women are already showing signs of their body preparing for labor such as frequent Braxton-Hicks contractions, cervical softening and pelvic stretching.

One of the most commonly used methods for starting labor naturally are sexual intercourse, increased activity levels (such as going for walks), Evening Primrose Oil, Red Raspberry Leaf Tea, oral doses of castor oil, nipple stimulation and herbal preparations of blue or black cohosh.

Here is an excellent article that covers just about every natural induction method I could possibly think of: Natural Induction

Eat DATES! 

Acupressure To Induce Labor (At Full Gestation ONLY)
We have had great success with using the information from these next videos. It really helps to have the mother and the person doing the acupressure to really visualize contractions starting and the cervix opening. Never underestimate the power of visualization and it's effect on your body.

  

 

 

 

 

Learn more about Acupressure for induction

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Medical Induction:

•  Starting Labor by Stripping the Membranes                                              One technique that can induce labor is for the bag of waters to be pulled away from the cervix. This can cause a back ache, cramping and some light bleeding for a day or two. Success rate of this technique is not known.

• Starting Labor with Prostaglandin Treatments 
  If it is necessary to begin labor, but the cervix is hard and long, efforts to begin contractions with artificial oxytocin will not be successful. In these cases, it is generally necessary to "soften" the cervix and make it ready to stretch. There are two main types of prostaglandin treatments used in hospitals today. One is a cervical cream called cervidil, the other is a pill called cytotec.

• Starting Labor with Pitocin 
  If it is necessary to begin labor and the cervix is soft and stretchy, your health care team may recommend using Pitocin to begin your labor. This will require you to have an IV and be monitored continuously during the administration of the drug.

Risks of Artificially Starting Labor

There are risks associated with each method of labor induction. The risks vary in their severity depending to the type of induction.

General Risks for all types of induction (including natural induction techniques) 

• The baby may not be ready to be born (pre-mature). 
• May not "solve" the problem, starting labor is a complex response to hormonal changes which is not always easy to stimulate. 
• May cause extremely strong contractions or contractions to come faster than expected.

Pitocin -synthetic oxytocin. A clear liquid administered through IV.

Oxytocin is one of the hormones that plays a part in the labor process. Injecting your body with synthetic oxytocin is expected to cause uterine contractions. It may be used to start labor, speed up a slow labor, or to cause the uterus to clamp down and stop bleeding after your baby and placenta are born.

Risks for Mother

• Increased pain with contractions which often leads to the use of pain medications.

• Requires continuous monitoring to detect complications and/or progress which interferes with mobility.

• Requires an IV for administration.

• Can cause long contractions and contractions with double peaks.

• Slightly increases the possibility of a uterine rupture.

• Increases the likelihood of a fetal malpresentation or malposition.

• Pitocin use is associated with an increased need for cesarean surgery for distocia and fetal distress.

Risks for Baby

• Increases the likelihood of depressed fetal heart rate patterns.

• Increases the chances of Fetal Distress due to decreased oxygen availability.

• There are increased risks to your baby if you end up with a cesarean.

 

Cytotec - a synthetic prostaglandin. It is only approved by the FDA for the prevention of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory, drug-induced gastric ulcers - it is NOT approved for use of induction in childbirth, and it is recommended to avoid for this reason. It's simply not safe. It is a small and inexpensive pill that is normally taken by mouth, but some physicians will use it to induce labor by oral administration or by placing it inside the vagina.

Prostaglandin is one of the chemicals that play a part in ripening the cervix. A ripe cervix is soft and stretchy, ready to respond to uterine contractions. Cytotec is known to ripen the cervix and cause strong uterine contractions regardless of how it is taken.

Cytotec is proven to start labor faster than pitocin, and use of cytotec provides faster labors than pitocin. 

Risks for Mother

• Increases risk for uterine hyperstimulation.

• Increases risk of uterine rupture.

• Once administered, its effects cannot be stopped.

• No standard safe, effective dose.

• Use of cytotec for labor stimulation is not approved by the FDA.

• Requires continuous monitoring of baby's heart rate which decreases mobility.

Risks for Baby

• Uterine hyperstimulation can cause abnormal fetal heart rate.

• Increased rates of meconium-stained fluids.

Cytotec Controversy
Cytotec for inducing labor is an off-label use. This means the medication, though approved by the FDA, was never approved for use during labor. However, once a medication is approved by the FDA doctors can prescribe it for other things as well. This off-label use of cytotec has lead to some very strong objection among the birth community. Many caregivers feel the use of a medication in labor before it has been studied for safety is unethical.

Cervadil - Prostaglandin E2 vaginal insert. It is a small rectangular pouch with a retrieval cord that looks similar to a tampon. It is inserted into the vagina.

Prostaglandin is one of the chemicals that play a part in ripening the cervix. A ripe cervix is soft and stretchy, ready to respond to uterine contractions. When given vaginally, cervidil may help to ripen the cervix.

Why choose Cervidil?

Cervidil is used to "ripen" the cervix when it is agreed that your baby is safer to be born than to remain in the uterus. Cervidil is the first step in a two part induction process when the cervix is not ready to respond to contractions.

Cervidil may increase the activity of non-productive contractions when no other labor stimulation agent has been used.

Cervidil allows the mother to use the medication for the prescribed amount of time an then remove it. In some cases a mother may be able to go home after administration to wait for labor to start.

How effective is Cervidil?

Because prostaglandin E2 helps to make the connective tissue of the cervix more pliable while also stimulating contractions, it is more effective than synthetic oxytocin at inducing labor. The rates were similar for women giving birth within 12 hours, but more women had given birth within 24 hours with prostaglandin and the difference is even more pronounced at 48 hours. In addition, the rate of instrumental vaginal delivery is lower with women induced with prostaglandin E2.

This data sheet on Cervidil offers information from research trials about its efficacy.

Risks for Mother

• Gastrointestinal effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

• Small risk of uterine hyper stimulation.

• Requires continuous monitoring of baby's heart rate which decreases mobility.

• Another form of prostaglandin E2, Prepidil, cannot be removed if hyper stimulation occurs.

Risks for Baby

• Uterine hyper stimulation can cause abnormal fetal heart rate

Refference: http://www.birthingnaturally.net/index.html.

Comments

[Acupuncture Infertility]

Nice One