The way that your labour is induced will depend on the stage of your pregnancy. You may be given medication to prepare your womb for the induction and this usually takes time to work. Some women go home during this time, with an appointment to come back to the hospital 24 to 48 hours later.
If you feel too distressed by the thought of going home, you may want to stay in hospital. The staff will usually try to organise this.
In hospital, your labour may be induced with tablets. These tablets may sometimes be combined with or followed by gel or pessaries that are inserted into your vagina. You may also need an intravenous drip containing medication to stimulate the contractions.
Once labour has started, most mothers give birth within 24 hours. The midwife or nurse caring for you should explain what to expect and how they will look after you. Some women decide to wait and see if their labour starts by itself.
If you have no medical problems and are considering waiting, you need to be aware of the following:
- If you wait more than 48 hours, you will be offered regular blood tests to check that your health isn’t being negatively affected.
- If there are any worries about your health, or if your labour hasn’t started after two or three weeks, the doctor will usually recommend that you have an induction.
- If there is a delay before the birth, your baby’s condition may deteriorate. If you want to have a post-mortem examination to try to find out why your baby died, this is less likely to provide information. A delay may also affect your baby’s appearance. Changes to your baby’s skin tone or dryness as well as their colour may occur, but your midwife should be able to explain what to expect.