Inducing Labor Increases Risk Of Preterm Babies

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 08 Aug 2006 - 0:00 PDT


The pregnant woman who wakes in the middle of the night, realizes she's in labor and yells, "It's time!" is an uncommon scene. A recent survey revealed that 44 percent of women in the United States have induced labors. More than one-third of those mothers were induced for non-medical reasons. Scheduling an induction without medical indication increases the risk of giving birth to preterm baby.

Premature babies have a greater risk of medical complications. Babies born even a few days premature are more likely to endure health problems. Neither doctors nor mothers can determine a baby's due date with 100 percent accuracy. Therefore, a scheduled induction at 39 weeks could result in giving birth to a preterm baby who is only 36 weeks gestation.

According to the March of Dimes, late preterm (or near term) are babies born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation and are at increased risk for medical problems, including breathing, brain development, maintaining body temperature and weight and jaundice. Preterm babies also can encounter breastfeeding difficulties. "Near term infants are often sleepier and have less energy," says Jeanette Crenshaw, MSN, RN, IBCLC, LCCE, president elect of Lamaze International. "And preterm babies often have underdeveloped fat pads in their cheeks, which can make breastfeeding more difficult."

So why, despite the risks, does the rate of inductions continue to rise? Women and their doctors schedule induced labors for many reasons. For women with conditions, induction can be life-saving for mother and baby. However, the more recent trend is to schedule inductions for reasons of convenience. Stephanie Rosenberg, mother of one, said of her birth experience, "my doctor wanted to induce, saying 'you have a healthy baby, there's no need to go to your due date.' I was not comfortable with this-I wanted my body, as well as my baby, to be ready to deliver!"

Despite a doctor's legal responsibility to inform women on the risks of all medical procedures, many do not. As a result, women are making choices without the facts. Christina, a mother who was induced at 37 and 38 weeks for her last two births, said "my doctors did not seem concerned about me having a preterm baby and did not discuss the risks of induction."

The overuse of labor-inducing drugs increases the liability for hospitals. Knowing the risks caused by preterm birth, some hospitals have implemented guidelines that prohibit inductions before 39 or 40 weeks without a medical indication. Additionally, hospitals are taking greater care to educate mothers on the risks of early induction. Classes, such as Lamaze childbirth education classes, help teach mothers about induction as well as how to effectively communicate with their health care provider.

More information on pregnancy, birth and the use of labor-inducing medications can be found in The Official Lamaze Guide: Giving Birth with Confidence. To order the book and find a Lamaze childbirth education class in your area, visit the Lamaze International Web site at http://www.lamaze.org.

Lamaze International, based in Washington, DC, envisions a world of confident women choosing normal birth. For more information about Lamaze and the Institute for Normal Birth, visit http://www.lamaze.org

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