| When expectant mothers are past their due date, | | | | risk of infection of the uterus and nearby organs, |
| many obstetricians look towards medications to induce | | | | respiratory complications and unexpected reactions to |
| labor. The fact is many of the medications used are | | | | anesthesia and other medications during the surgery, |
| not always the safest way to induce labor; several | | | | such as sudden drop in blood pressure. Babies born by |
| have serious side effects that can cause | | | | Cesarean section are more likely to develop breathing |
| complications for the mother and baby. Chemically | | | | problems and get low Apgar scores. The low score |
| inducing labor should be the last method considered | | | | can be an effect of the anesthesia, or the baby may |
| when inducing labor is necessary. | | | | have been in distress to begin with. Another downside |
| Despite modern techniques, medical labor induction still | | | | is that the baby does not receive the same stimulation |
| introduces considerable risk compared with natural | | | | as a vaginal birth during delivery. |
| onset of labor. According to the Coalition for Improving | | | | Vacuum births commonly cause more damage and |
| Maternity Services first-time mothers have more than | | | | tears for the mother. When a vacuum is used as an |
| twice the likelihood of Cesarean section with induction | | | | aid during labor, babies may suffer from injuries |
| compared with labor that starts naturally. This risk is | | | | including a dislocated shoulder. When inducing labor is |
| due to the procedure itself, not any reason that might | | | | necessary, the smarter decision is to consider |
| have led to inducing labor. | | | | alternative methods before trying using chemicals. |
| If the cervix is not ready for labor, labor induction | | | | One of the most studied natural labor induction |
| medication may increase woman's chance of | | | | methods is acupressure. The holistic system of |
| Cesarean section five-fold, even if cervical ripening | | | | acupressure, used to induce labor, works by building on |
| agents are administered. Also, using medications to | | | | what the body does naturally. In this way, the use of |
| induce labor requires constant monitoring. The mother | | | | acupressure can be remarkably beneficial during |
| may need to be hooked up to fetal monitors | | | | childbirth. Labor acupressure can be very helpful in |
| continuously as well as an IV drip, confining the mother | | | | descending your baby, dilating your cervix, and starting |
| to bed and causing further distress. | | | | and making the labor contractions more frequent and |
| Induced labors are usually more painful, which can | | | | successful. |
| increase the need for epidural analgesia. Epidurals | | | | Acupressure for labor has been proven to shorten the |
| introduce a higher likelihood of adverse effects on the | | | | delivery time by helping your body to function better |
| labor, the baby, and the mother. In general studies have | | | | and to use its remarkable underlying capabilities. The |
| shown that inducing labor with chemicals increases | | | | chances of having a long labor are decreased |
| remarkably the chance of having a vacuum birth or a | | | | becauseof this, therefore reducing any distress or |
| Cesarean section. | | | | suffering to the child. |
| Cesarean delivery is major surgery, and thus there is a | | | | |