--> doesn't start on its own, your

--> doesn't start on its own, your practitioner can use medication and other techniques to bring on (or induce) contractions. She can use some of the same methods to , or speed up, your labor if it stops progressing for some reason. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one in five births in the United States is induced.
to start on its own are higher than the risks of the procedures used to get your labor going. This may be the case when:. Most practitioners won't let you wait longer than that to give birth because it puts you and your baby at greater risk for a host of problems.

1. For example, the placenta may become less effective at delivering nutrients to your baby, increasing the risk of a stillbirth or serious problems for your newborn.
2. In addition, if your baby gets too big, your labor is more likely to be prolonged or stalled, your chances of needing a c-section are higher, and both you and your baby have an increased risk of injury during a vaginal delivery.
3. • Your water breaks and your labor doesn't start on its own.
4. In this case, you'll be induced to decrease the risk of infection to your uterus and your baby, which is more of a concern once your membranes have ruptured.
5. (However, if your baby is still very premature, your practitioner may hold off on inducing labor.

) • You have a chronic or acute illness — such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease — that threatens your health or the health of your baby. Watch our video: See how your uterus and baby will move during each labor contraction and see a real baby being born. Watch our video: See the three most common methods for inducing labor and learn the pros and cons of induction for you and your baby. This Internet site provides information of a general nature and is designed for educational purposes only.
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