If you and your practitioner have

If you and your practitioner have decided that it's not a good idea to wait any longer for your labor to start on its own, your practitioner can use certain techniques to induce your labor to start. (She can use some of the same procedures to , or speed up, your labor if you stop progressing for some reason. ) According to the Centers for Disease Control, just over 20 percent of births (one out of five) are induced. Your labor may need to be induced if the risks of prolonging your pregnancy are higher than the risks of delivering your baby right away. The most common reasons for this include: Your bag of waters breaks and your labor doesn't start on its own within a reasonable amount of time. (Exactly how long that is will depend on your practitioner and your particular situation. ) You're still pregnant one to two weeks past an accurate due date. Most practitioners won't let you wait longer than this to give birth because it puts you and your baby at increased risk for a host of problems. For example, you have an increased chance of developing an infection in your uterus that could be dangerous for your baby, or of having a stillbirth. 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 you double your chances of needing a c-section.

1. It's not safe for your baby to remain in your uterus any longer.
2. This may be the case if tests indicate that your placenta is no longer functioning properly, you have You have a chronic or acute illness, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease, that threatens your well-being or the health of your baby.

1. The methods your practitioner uses to induce labor will depend on what condition your cervix is in at the time.
2. If your cervix has not yet started to soften, efface (thin out), or dilate (open up), it's considered unripe, or not yet ready for labor.
3. In this case, your practitioner will use either hormones or mechanical methods to ripen your cervix before the induction.
4. Sometimes these procedures will end up jump-starting your labor as well.
5. Some of the methods used to ripen your cervix and induce your labor are: Stripping or sweeping the membranes.

During a pelvic exam, your practitioner inserts her finger into your cervix and manually separates your bag of waters from the lower part of your uterus. This causes the release of prostaglandin hormones that can help get your contractions going. In most cases, this procedure is done during an office visit and then you're sent home to wait for labor to start, usually within the next few days. Many women find this procedure uncomfortable or even painful. Using prostaglandin medications. Your practitioner may try to ripen your cervix by inserting medication into your cervix or vagina that contains prostaglandin hormones. Often this procedure will also stimulate contractions and get your labor going. If that doesn't happen, your practitioner may give you the drug oxytocin (Pitocin) through an IV. Using a Foley catheter. Your practitioner may insert a catheter into your cervix with a very small balloon at the end of it.

When the balloon is inflated with water, it puts pressure on your cervix, stimulating the release of prostaglandins, which cause it to open and soften. When your cervix begins to dilate, the balloon falls out and the catheter is removed. Rupturing the membranes. During a pelvic exam, your practitioner uses a small, hooked instrument to break your bag of waters. This procedure causes no more discomfort than a vaginal exam. If your cervix is very ripe and ready for labor, this alone might get your contractions going. If that doesn't happen, your practitioner may give you the drug oxytocin (Pitocin) through an IV. Once your water has broken, most practitioners will want you to deliver within the next 12 to 24 hours because the risk of infection for you and your baby increases over time. Using the drug Pitocin. Pitocin is a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin, which your body naturally produces during labor.
Your practitioner may give you this drug through an IV pump to start or augment your contractions. She can adjust the amount you need according to how your labor progresses. Some women say that Pitocin causes more intense contractions, but if this is your first baby, you won't know the difference. Yes, but none of them have been proven consistently effective, and some aren't safe to try at home. Here's the scoop on some do-it-yourself techniques you may have heard about: Nipple stimulation. Twisting or pinching your nipples releases your own natural oxytocin. A few studies have found it to be effective in getting labor going within 72 hours if your cervix is already ripe, but the method has not been well studied. And you shouldn't try it at home because it can sometimes cause prolonged contractions that could stress your baby and depress his heart rate. Sexual intercourse. Having sex won't induce labor,.