26/02/2024
In modern Western culture, most women and families know about induction of labour before they even become pregnant.
They know that induction is suggested when it is felt that it would be safer for the baby to be born than to stay inside its mother.
Many people also know that one of the main reasons for recommending induction of labour is because pregnancy has lasted for a certain number of weeks and the baby is perceived to be ‘overdue.’
Other reasons for offering induction include that the woman is older than average, that her waters have broken early and/or that she has a health problem or condition.
These days, induction is often suggested where someone has a high BMI, or has been told they have gestational diabetes.
But aren't necessarily evidence-based practices, as I write about in my books.
And there's a big focus these days on telling women when they are deemed to be 'at higher risk,' but not so much on explaining the downsides and risks of interventions like induction.
There are pros and cons to everything!
Some people think induction is oversold.
Some are concerned about how a lot of the 'official' information is geared to promoting induction and doesn't give the bigger picture.
There are many other aspects to the induction decision. That's one of the reasons that I wrote my book, In Your Own Time.
If you'd like to know more, I have a popular blog post which helps explain that bigger picture.
My blog post is called 'Ten things I wish every woman knew about induction of labour.'
I've just updated it, and I hope you find it useful.
It's at https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/induction-of-labour/
