Early Pregnancy Induction and Reasons for It - Essay Example

The labor may be induced if the water has broken but the contractions have not started yet. The movement and the growth of the baby are monitored after certain intervals. If at any point the health care professionals figure out that the growth of the baby is not at the expected pace then false labor must be induced. Infection in the uterus may also be one of the reasons. If there is not enough amniotic fluid present around the baby or the placenta peels it from the uterus’ inner wall, then labor can be artificially induced by healthcare professionals. If the mother has any medical condition that may put the baby’s health at risks like diabetes or blood pressure then it is better to induce labor.

Methods

There are three main ways through which labor can be induced by healthcare professionals. These include medications, artificial rupturing of the membranes, and natural.
Medications

Some of the medications that can be used to induce labor include:
Dinoprostone: This medicine is inserted within 12 hours into the vagina of the mother.
Pitocin: This medicine is slowly administered intravenously into the patient, increasing the level to produce adequate contractions.
PGE2 Suppositories: They can be placed or inserted either beside or into the mother’s cervix.

Artificial rupturing of the membrane
By doing this the period of labor might shorten by an hour. This procedure helps in the examination of the amniotic fluid for the presence of meconium which is considered to be a sign of fetal distress. The baby’s scalp must be accessed directly for monitoring the heartbeat of the baby.

Natural induction

Stimulating the nipples is considered to be one of the natural forms of labor induction and it can be performed manually with the help of an electric breastfeeding pump. By doing so the natural production of oxytocin will take place in the female’s body causing contractions.

Change Theory
Change theory can be linked to Lewis' Theory in a way that it is about unfreezing all the previous information about labor induction and learning the changes imposed by advanced research and studies. It is important to educate healthcare professionals on the advantages and risks associated with induction because they are the ones who are responsible for the well-being of the mother and baby. It is important to educate the mother as well, so that she may be able to take an informed decision regarding her baby’s health (Simpson & Thorman, 2005). Read More