Induction - Questions for your care provider.

I hear this all the time... “ It’s important for me to have a traditional, physiological birth, vaginally, and with no interventions”. Before you know it, a conversation begins around induction. Here are a few questions to ask your care provider around your birth preferences, to ensure your care provider is the right fit for you. 

"It's important to me to have a traditional birth, free of interventions. Can I depend on you to support my choices, as my care provider?"

You can accept, request, or decline every step of the way. If you’re facing induction, your birth rights live on. Your care provider should be supporting a ‘physiology first’ approach.

"How will you help me balance "push" and "protect"?

Encourage relaxation of your nervous system through induction, to continue to prioritize relaxation instead of only focusing on stronger contractions.

"What is the evidence supporting, or discouraging AROM in induction?"

"My beliefs are very important to me. How can you support this pregnancy holding that space for me?"

“If I agree to an ultrasound, how will the results impact the management of my care?”

“Full gestational age is important to my baby’s long term health. There’s evidence proving a reduction in auto immune diseases, and established microbiome, better breastfeeding outcomes, if I wait until my labor begins on its own. Inductions at 37,38, 39 weeks have negative long term implications. So, i’d like to think long term, not just with regards to birth outcome..”

"Decision-making and informed consent are important to me. Can you please communicate the ‘why’ in every suggestion that does not support evidence-based birth?"

“At this time will an induction or augmentation of labor mean a better outcome for me and my baby?”

“What percentage of the births that you attend are vaginal and unmedicated? Induction? What is your cesarean rate?

***avg rate is 30% out of 100,000 test studies, and results vary. Some ob’s perform 18% cesarean while others are as high as 85%***

“If your induction and cesarean percentages are higher than your percentage of unmedicated physiological births, how will you support me and my choices?”

“Why induce if baby and I are looking really good? I’m open to continuous monitoring during physiological birth if necessary, and once we have explored all of the alternatives.”

“I would like continuous monitoring during my induction.”

“I would like vaginal exams every 4 hrs to monitor position and changes to the cervix, to ensure change is taking place.”

“I do not want cervical exams at any time during my labor. This is non-negotiable.”

“Being the decision maker is important to me. This will support feelings of safety and relaxation.”

“What if I choose a, ‘wait and see approach’, once all of the information has been presented to me? If I choose to wait, accepting risk, what can we do tomorrow, or the next day? How can you continue to check in on me and my baby to ensure all is well with us?”

“Where is the urgency coming from if all is well? If there is change, how will you hold space for physiological birth?”

“Will you support my decision to only move forward with induction steps, when I choose to wait longer periods of time between methods to prep my cervix, and stop synthetic oxytocin when my body begins active labor?”