Pregnancy guide > Labour and birth > Labour > Being induced > Reasons for an induction

Reasons for an induction

Advice on the most common reasons for inducing labour during pregnancy.

Induction is the process of bringing about labour before it spontaneously occurs. About one fifth of pregnancies are induced. You will be offered an induction of labour if your obstetrician or midwife who is caring for you feels that either you, your baby, or both of you, would be safer if your baby were born. There are several reasons why this may happen and it is important to understand why your doctor or midwife is suggesting induction.

The most common reasons for inducing labour are:

A pregnancy well past its due date (post-maturity)
Maternal high blood pressure/pre-eclampsia

Waters breaking before contractions start
Multiple births

Gestational diabetes

Slowed growth of the baby

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Hi am Faith and new on this forum. i was induced during labour when i was having my first baby. my doctor said the cervix was slow at opening and the baby was getting tired. it was a very painful experience as i was already having contractions but my cervix had only opened 6 inches and the baby was getting tired. i think i would prefer to go for ceaserian section incase something like that happens again. but am still open incase my doctor says that is a better option then i will have to go for it.

by miks

29th Aug 2008, 9:16am