An induction of labour. This is recommended content for every woman who is pregnant, particularly those getting close to the end of their pregnancy. Inductions aren’t rare and can represent a challenge for some women who feel blindsided by the significant change of plans. 

---

In today’s episode we are going to talk about the day when your health care provider says to you. “Looks like we need an induction”. This is a challenge for some women and sometimes it can feel like these statements seem to come straight out of the blue. So what we do in our grow my baby program is we talk about the four principles of pregnancy that rocks and we believe that they are when you’re CALM, CONFIDENT, CLEVER and CONNECTED. So by the end of this episode we aim to help you with all of those principles so you can feel like you can breathe and then get on with having your baby. 

[00:01:13] Outlines the podcast with topics to cover:  the reasons you may need an induction. What happens in an induction and some of the common fears about induction. 

[00:01:41] How an induction is not rare and how this knowledge helps to prepare you. 

[00:02:32] Patient story about induction. 

[00:04:35] Induction for post dates and the debate within different circles about what this means. .

[00:05:08] Weighing up the risk of being induced against the risk of keeping a pregnancy going beyond due dates. 

[00:05:46] Induction due to diabetes and preeclampsia. 

[00:06:21] Induction due to premature rupture of membranes or PROM or rupture of membranes at term with no labour forthcoming as a case for induction. 

[00:07:03] What to do if your waters break which depends on the pregnancy and whether there is any risk for you or the baby. 

[00:07:30] Definition of a  ‘soft induction’ where people have an induction because of either their non-medical need or the hospital’s needs. 

[00:10:28] Discussion on the natural methods of inductions.

[00:12:18] Why some women don’t go into spontaneous labour. 

[00:13:16] What a placenta looks like in a prolonged pregnancy. 

[00:13:56] The human gestation period of 40 weeks and discussion of the ARRIVE study.  

[00:17:44] Discussion on induction for the convenience of the Obstetrician or the hospital and questions to ask if you are not sure why an induction has been suggested.  

[00:20:42] What is a bishop score and what it has to do with your induction. 

[00:22:28] The different methods to start an induction

[00:24:58] Vaginal examination and dilation.

[00:25:49]  Artificial rupture of membrane or ARM and when that may occur.

[00:26:04] Syntocinon  infusion and its role in induction and when it is used for augmentation.

[00:27:39] What is a stretch and sweep?

[00:29:26] What does gentle induction mean.

[00:31:22] Some thoughts as to why some women may be fearful or object to induction

[00:32:35] What is the cascade of intervention and is it a concept we should be worried about.

[00:37:33] The risks of inductionA

[00:39:45] The correlation between induction and epidurals.

[00:41:26] When a woman requests to be induced.

Study mentioned in the podcast; 

https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2018/08/clinical-guidance-for-integration-of-the-findings-of-the-arrive-trial

https://evidencebasedbirth.com/arrive/