Why it's done

To determine if labor induction is necessary, your health care provider will evaluate several factors, including your health, your baby's health, your baby's gestational age, weight and size, your baby's position in the uterus, and the status of your cervix. Reasons for labor induction include:

• Postterm pregnancy. You're approaching two weeks beyond your due date, and labor hasn't started naturally.
• Prelabor rupture of membranes. Your water has broken, but labor hasn't begun.
• Chorioamnionitis. You have an infection in your uterus.
• Fetal growth restriction. The estimated weight of your baby is less than the 10th percentile for gestational age.
• Oligohydramnios. There's not enough amniotic fluid surrounding the baby.
• Gestational diabetes. You have diabetes that develops during pregnancy.
• High blood pressure disorders of pregnancy. You have a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure and signs of damage to another organ system (preeclampsia), high blood pressure that was present before pregnancy or that occurs before 20 weeks of pregnancy (chronic high blood pressure), or high blood pressure that develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy (gestational hypertension).
• Placental abruption. Your placenta peels away from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery — either partially or completely.
• Certain medical conditions. You have a medical condition such as kidney disease or obesity.

Elective labor induction is the initiation of labor for convenience in a person with a term pregnancy who doesn't medically need the intervention. Elective labor inductions might be appropriate in some instances. For example, if you live far from the hospital or birthing center or you have a history of rapid deliveries, a scheduled induction might help you avoid an unattended delivery. In such cases, your health care provider will confirm that your baby's gestational age is at least 39 weeks or older before induction to reduce the risk of health problems for your baby.