NHS Suffolk and North East Essex - Labour and Birth Booklet

28 Induction of labour These interventions will always be discussed with you, to ensure you fully understand the risks and benefits, and your consent will be gained prior to anything happening. For those women declining an induction of labour a plan can be put into place with support from the obstetric team. How is labour induced? Around 30 per cent of women are recommended an induction of labour for varying reasons. Your midwife or obstetrician will have a full discussion with you in the antenatal period routinely at your 36 or 40 week appointment regarding induction of labour and the benefits and risks of this, enabling you to make a fully informed decision. Methods used to induce labour vary depending on a range of factors. Your doctor and midwife will discuss the different methods with you and advise a method based on your personal circumstance. When you come into the maternity unit for your induction, a midwife will undertake a full assessment of you and your baby and this will include electronic fetal monitoring (CTG) of your baby’s heartbeat and to see if you are having any contractions. Then the midwife or doctor will assess your cervix by undertaking a vaginal examination. Following this examination options for induction will be discussed with you. Some women may need only one of the steps below and others will need all three to get them to established labour (four centimetres dilated with strong, regular contractions):