Labor induction

Labor induction refers to any of a number of methods for artificially stimulating childbirth.

Indications

Commonly accepted medical reasons for induction include:

• Postterm pregnancy, i.e. if the pregnancy has gone past the 41st week.
• Intrauterine fetal growth retardation (IUGR).
• There are health risks to the woman in continuing the pregnancy (e.g. she has pre-eclampsia).
• Premature rupture of the membranes (PROM); this is when the membranes have ruptured, but labor does not start within a specific amount of time.^[1]
• Premature termination of the pregnancy (abortion).
• Fetal death in utero.
• Twin pregnancy continuing beyond 38 weeks.

Methods of induction

Methods of inducing labor include medication and processes.

Medication

• Intravaginal, endocervical or extra-amniotic administration of prostaglandin, such as dinoprostone or misoprostol.^[2] In the few controlled trials that have been done, extra-amniotic administration appears to be more efficient than intravaginal or endocervical administration of prostaglandins in labor induction, with no differential effects on other outcome measures.^[3]
• Intravenous administration of synthetic oxytocin preparations, such as Pitocin.
• Use of mifepristone has been described.^[4]
• Relaxin has been investigated,^[5] but is not currently commonly used.

Processes

• "Membrane sweep", also known as membrane stripping, or "stretch and sweep" in Australia and the UK – during an internal examination, the practitioner moves her finger around the cervix to stimulate and/or separate the membranes around the baby from the cervix. This causes a release of prostaglandins which can help to kick-start labor.
• Artificial rupture of the membranes (AROM or ARM) ("breaking the waters")
• Extra-amniotic saline infusion (EASI),^[6] in which a Foley catheter is inserted into the cervix and the distal portion expanded to dilate it and to release prostaglandins.

When to induce

For the health of the mother and baby labor should begin without induction when the cervix is unfavorable prior to 41 weeks.^[7]

Non-indicated, elective inductions should not be scheduled before the 41st week of gestation because otherwise the mother has an increased risk of requiring a caesarean section.^[7] Doctors and patients should have a discussion of risks when considering an induction of labor when it is not medically indicated.^[7]

Until recently, the most common practice has been to induce labor by the end of the 42nd week of gestation. This practice is still very common. In the UK, a dating scan is usually conducted around the 12th week of pregnancy to determine the estimated due date. Research suggests that scans done after this date can cause the estimated due date to become less accurate, with the longer time that passes. In the cases of late dating scans, the estimated due date is less accurate which could therefore provoke a woman to be induced unnecessarily. Studies have shown a slight increase in risk of infant mortality for births in the 41st and particularly 42nd week of gestation, as well as a higher risk of injury to the mother and child.^[8] Due to the increasing risks of advanced gestation, induction appears to reduce the risk for cesarean delivery after 41 weeks gestation.^[9]

Inducing labor before 39 weeks increases the risk of complications of prematurity including difficulties with respiration, infection, feeding, jaundice, neonatal intensive care unit admissions, and perinatal death.^[10]

The odds of having a vaginal delivery after labor induction are assessed by a "Bishop Score". A Bishop Score is done to assess the progression of the cervix prior to an induction. In order to do this, the cervix must be checked to see how much it has effaced, thinned out, and how far dilated it is. The score goes by a points system depending on five factors. Each factor is scored on a scale of either 0-2 or 0–3, any score that adds up to be less than 5 holds a higher risk of delivering by cesarean section.^[11]

Criticisms of induction

Induced labor may be more painful for the woman.^[12] This can lead to the increased use of analgesics and other pain-relieving pharmaceuticals.^[13] These interventions have been said to lead to an increased likelihood of caesarean section delivery for the baby.^[14] However, studies into this matter show differing results. One study indicated that while overall caesarean section rates from 1990–1997 remained at or below 20%, elective induction was associated with a doubling of the rate of caesarean section .^[15] Two more recent studies have shown that induction may increase the risk of caesarean section if performed before the 40th week of gestation, but it has no effect or actually lowers the risk if performed after the 40th week.^[16][17] Elective induction in women who were not post-term increased a woman's chance of a C-section by two to three times.^[18]

See also

• Tocolytics, labor repressants

References

External links

• Harman & Kim. "Current Trends in Cervical Ripening and Labor Induction" American Family Physician 1999; 60:477–84.
• Inducing Labor – WebMD.com
• Induction of labour. Clinical guideline, UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, June 2001.
• Josie L. Tenore: Methods for cervical ripening and induction of labor. American Family Physician, 15 May 2003.
• "Catecholamines – blood ." National Library of Medicine . N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus>.