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Ask A Midwife

Q. My doctor tells me that he can not induce labor unless I have started to dilate. Is this always true?

A. There are many different ways to induce and stimulate labor. Depending upon your health care provider, certain medications might be appropriate at certain times in your pregnancy. The more favorable your cervix (meaning soft and dilated), the easier and more successful the induction. If you go past your due date more than a week, providers might suggest induction, even with an unripe cervix. Natural labor is usually easier and less traumatic than an induced one, depending again upon the circumstances.

Do some Internet searches for more details about the possible choices. There are lots of informative sites. Here are some:

• Am I ready for labor?
• Pitocin FAQ
• Amniotomy FAQ
• Induction Resources

Pat Sonnenstuhl is a semi-retired nurse midwife with over 30 years of experience in health care (first as an RN, then as an ARNP, CNM). She has experience with hospital nursing/midwifery and home and birth center midwifery.

Two areas of special interest to her are GBS and nutrition.

She is about empowerment, and helping folks find their own answers, what is right for them, not what is right for her. But, she wants you well informed.