Waiting for Labor to start on its own strongly recommended (no surprise here):

marmar08 · Oct 24, 2014

I'm a newly accepted nursing program student, awaiting to start the program in January. My heart and brain is facinated about everything to do from puberty to post pregnancy in women. I read books and books on the subject. The little knowledge that I have accumulated is that inductions are used in terms for convenience or a woman taking too long to dialate. However the act of inducing increases your chance for being administered Pitocin which increases your chances of C/S.

Maybe I am not understanding something but I don't get why many facilities do not allow the body to take its natural course. Is it really all about money and liability issues?

Inducing can lead to epidural which can lead to Pitocin which is artificial oxytocin right? Being artifical it contracts the uterus more frequently, not allowing a relaxation period for the uterine muscles. With the constant contracts it then compresses the umbilical cord putting the baby in distress. This distress signal often sends the mother off for C/S, thus making C/S percentages so high.

Please correct me if I am wrong, because I just see it as an unfortunate domino effect.

klone, MSN, RN · Oct 24, 2014

Generally speaking, induction does not LEAD to Pitocin. Induction IS Pitocin (there are other methods for induction, but Pit is generally the most common one). Pit contractions do not HAVE to be more frequent or stronger. Turning up the Pit too high/too fast can lead to that. The last facility I worked for used a low-dose Pit protocol - it was unusual to have to go above 6mu. Just enough to put her into a good contraction pattern.

ergs22 · Feb 1, 2016

If it's elective at this hospital it is exclusively patient request.