When is labor induction needed?

At the very end of pregnancy, doctors perform cardiotocography and ultrasound, and sometimes they come to the conclusion that the woman is postponing the pregnancy. Overgestation is accompanied by such signs as oligohydramnios, a decrease in the thickness of the placenta and thickening of the bones of the skull. An overexploited pregnancy means that the functioning of the placenta is deteriorating, and the baby may suffer from this. In this case, obstetricians induce labor. To artificially induce labor, if the body is ready, doctors use amniotomy, that is, they tear the fetal bladder. The fetal bladder is pierced with a tool similar to a hook. This procedure is painless, as there are no nerve endings in the amniotic sac. As a result, the water breaks in the pregnant woman, and after about 2 hours, childbirth begins. Another option for artificial induction of labor is the use of a gel that contains prostaglandins. A special gel is injected by the obstetrician into the cervix. Thanks to prostaglandins, the cervix “ripens”, which is certainly necessary for the onset of labor. This procedure is also completely painless and takes approximately 3 minutes. Labor starts at 9 o’clock. Labor induction is necessary if labor activity is very weak. Childbirth has already begun, contractions have begun, but weak, and the cervix is ​​slowly opening. The average duration of labor for women giving birth for the first time is approximately 12 hours, for women giving birth for the second time – 8-9 hours. If the birth is delayed for a long time, then the child may suffer from this. In this case, doctors conduct stimulation. Oxytocin and prostaglandins are drugs that are mainly used in labor induction. Prostaglandins are used if weak labor activity manifests itself at the stage of smoothing the cervix and opening it up to 5 centimeters. Oxytocin is used when weak labor activity is observed at the stage of cervical dilatation from 6 centimeters to 11 centimeters and during the period of attempts. Both drugs are administered intravenously drip and slowly. Within 5 hours after the stimulant is administered, the doctor evaluates whether there is any benefit from the drugs, if there is no benefit, then the question of a caesarean section arises. Sometimes doctors do not use a stimulant, but a sedative. A sedative may be required if the pregnant woman is physically very tired from long contractions. And there is a period of attempts ahead, when the pregnant woman will need to push in order to give birth. In this case, the doctor may administer a sedative to the pregnant woman so that the woman rests, sleeps a little, gains strength before attempts.