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Induction
There are several reasons why an induction may have to be
performed, but with any medical procedure it is in your right to
question, whether an induction in your case is absolutely necessary,
or whether it is being performed as a matter of routine in your
hospital.
Attitudes towards induction have taken a drastic change, whereby
beforehand, many women were induced once reaching 40 weeks, or a few
days 'overdue' for that matter. Nowadays it is considered quite safe
for a women to go at least 2 weeks 'late', as there are many ways to
establish whether the baby is still flourishing, and if he is, there
seems little reason to disturb him.
Reasons why women may be induced:
'Overdue':
If the mother has gone over her due-date by more than two weeks, and
doesn't spontaneously go into labour by about 42 to 43 weeks.
Pre-eclampsia:
If the mother suffers with very high blood pressure and there is
protein present in her urine.
Hampered foetal growth:
If the mother reports less movement and the baby seems to have
stopped growing.
Ruptured membranes:
If the mother's waters have broken, and there is no sign of
contractions starting - in this case induction will be suggested to
protect the baby and uterus against infection.
Slow labour:
In the case of labour not progressing, an induction may be
necessary, although this may be overcome with a little extra
movement, patience and encouragement.
Foetal distress:
In this instance, an induction if not a caesarean section, will be
necessary to speed up the labour process, but this depends on the
severity of the problem.
How is labour induced?
Prostaglandin Pessaries:
Prostaglandin is a naturally occurring hormone which triggers
labour. These pessaries are oval tablets which are inserted as close
to the cervix as possible, where they will soften the cervix, thus
preparing it for labour.
Artificial Rupture of the Membranes:
During pregnancy, your baby is safely cushioned by amniotic fluid.
This fluid is released prior to the birth of the baby, either before
labour has actually started, during the first stage of labour or
during the actual birth. Once the 'waters have broken', labour will
progress faster, so in the case of any of the above reasons
induction by artificial rupturing of the membranes using an
amniohook, may be necessary.
Apart from the discomfort, there are a few risks which may have to
be considered:
- There is an increased risk of infection once the 'waters' have
been broken
- The baby's head is exposed to far more pressure
- There is a chance that the umbilical cord may prolapse into
the vagina, thus necessitating an emergency caesar
- The mother may experience a sudden increase in the intensity
of the contractions, and pain relieving medication may need to be
administered, whereas this could have been avoided
Syntocinon Drip:
Syntocinon is an artificial form of oxytocin, the hormone which
causes the uterus to contract during labour. This is given in the
form of a drip, where the dosage is gradually increased to mimic the
build-up during labour, thus giving the woman a chance to become
accustomed to the hormone and stronger contractions. During this
procedure, the baby is usually closely monitored, for any signs of
distress which could be caused by the strengthening of the
contractions.
Although, the dose is gradually increased, many women do report
that, although their labour may have been drastically shortened,
they still found it difficult to cope with the sudden intensity of
labour pains, which differed quite considerably to the natural
build-up, experienced in previous births.
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