Inductions are becoming increasingly common, with women being told they’re having inductions for ‘big’ babies, being overdue, and countless other 'reasons'.
Sometimes there are clear medical reasons supporting the decision and the mother/birthing parent has made that choice and is happy with it, other times people are being pushed into inductions when they don’t want it or for things that aren't evidence-based.
Whatever your situation, you have options and it’s your decision to make – no consultant, midwife, or any other person can decide for you.
I’ve heard several stories of women being told “you’re having an induction by week xyz”, “you’re overdue so we’re booking you in for an induction” or “you must go to the hospital to be induced right now”. All of these have one thing in common – there’s no informed consent.
Language and the way conversations play out matters. It can leave you feeling confident and empowered or belittled and ignored. The power of that isn't to be underestimated. There are mothers who had conversations about inductions with consultants that left them feeling like they had no choice and were putting their baby in harms way (they absolutely were not) who then went on to have another conversation with different consultants or midwives on the same topic but left feeling supported, like they had options and were more confident in their decisions (some of them ended up choosing to be induced, others didn't).
You can always tell your care providers that you want some more time to make a decision, this gives you time to speak with loved ones, read up on the evidence and get second or third opinions.
If you’re ever feeling pressured into something, you can refer to the NICE guidelines on inductions which state that healthcare professionals should “recognise that women can decide to proceed with, delay, decline or stop an induction. Respect the woman's decision, even if healthcare professionals disagree with it, and do not allow personal views to influence the care they are given.”. They also state that women should be given time to discuss the information they've received with others should they want it.
It's important for you to make an informed decision based on your specific circumstances and to weigh up the benefits of having the induction (for example, when it is clearly safer for your baby to be born soon, than to continue the pregnancy) with the risks (for example, the cascade of interventions that often result from an induction, more painful contractions etc.).
The decision will be different for everyone and whether or not you decide to have an induction you can still have a positive birth experience, but part of it being a positive experience is you feeling you have agency over your own body and confidence in your choices.
Comments