Birth doesn't always happen naturally. Sometimes the level of hormones can be insufficient. In this case, labor induction is used.
Possible risks
Women are not very willing to agree to stimulation. The reason for this is fear for your baby. Although stimulation in most cases, on the contrary, prevents possible threats to the he alth of the child and mother. But there are also a number of dangers:
- severe pain when using drugs (natural stimulation of labor does not have such a disadvantage), the use of epidural anesthesia and drugs to alleviate it and, accordingly, the risks associated with their use;
- prolapse of the umbilical cord loop;
- risk of placental abruption;
- if an operation was performed on the uterus or in the previous waydelivery was a caesarean section, then stimulation can become quite dangerous;
- unsuccessful stimulation can cause fetal hypoxia;
- with a protracted birth process, the likelihood of rupture of the amniotic bladder increases.
Contraindications
Stimulation is not recommended in the following cases:
- umbilical cord prolapsed;
- the waters have broken: the risk of intrauterine infection is provoked by a rupture of the membrane that contains the amniotic sac surrounding the baby;
- Feeding of the fetus through the umbilical cord decreases due to prolonged pregnancy;
- the child is diagnosed with a deviation in the work of the heart;
- the fetus is in the lateral (transverse) position;
- high risk of airway blockage if the baby inhales meconium (intestine contents), which can enter the amniotic fluid;
- placenta previa is diagnosed: it partially or completely closes the cervical canal;
- found to have an infectious disease;
- the due date for the birth of the child did not fit;
- high blood pressure in a pregnant woman;
- uterine bleeding started;
- diabetes mellitus.
Stimulation of labor activity: basic methods
- Amniotomy is the opening of the amniotic sac by making a hole in the amniotic sac with a plastic needle. After this fightmust begin within a day, otherwise the risk of infection increases.
- Stimulation of the maturation of the cervix using a gel (candles) administered vaginally and containing prostaglandins, which are used as analogues of hormones that reduce the uterus.
- Strengthening or stimulation of contractions due to intravenous administration of an artificial substitute for oxytocin - the drug "Pitocin", the dose of the drug is gradually increased.
Professional labor induction
Without a preliminary diagnosis of the cervix, as well as determining the position of the child, any intervention is impossible. For the start of childbirth, the fetus must take the correct position, and the cervical canal should become thinner and more open. When using drugs, the administration of antispasmodics, analgesics, or the use of epidural anesthesia is often required, since stimulation of labor can cause quite strong pain. If everything remains unchanged after a sufficient period of time, then a caesarean section is scheduled.
