Not all pregnant women need to be induced during labor. This procedure is generally targeted to stimulate uterine contractions from prospective mothers who never show signs of childbirth beyond 2 weeks of the estimated date, or for those whose pregnancies are at high risk so that labor must be expedited. This method is actually fairly safe, but there are still side effects of labor induction that you should know and discuss with your doctor.
What are the side effects of labor induction?
Although it is considered safe and even can prevent the risk of harm to the mother and baby, this procedure still has side effects that you must pay attention to.
1. Increases the risk of caesarean delivery
The induction process will stimulate the uterus to contract so that the amniotic fluid breaks. Unfortunately, not all mothers are able to pass this process smoothly. Yes, there are mothers who still find it difficult to give birth normally so that a caesarean section must inevitably replace it.
Caesarean section in labor induction is also often chosen when the baby's position is not possible to be born normally because it can be bad for the baby.
2. Risk of health problems in infants
Generally, labor induction is performed earlier than the estimated date of birth (HPL). This condition can bring the side effects of labor induction in the form of health problems in infants. For example, difficulty breathing and liver organ that is not mature enough to do its job so that it will increase bilirubin levels in the baby's blood.
As a result, the baby's skin and eyes turn yellow or known as jaundice. This condition can still be treated until healed, but your child must spend more time in the hospital.
3. Increases the risk of infection in infants
During the mother's stomach, the baby is protected by amniotic fluid. That is why, if after the mother's amniotic fluid breaks but the baby does not go out, it will make the baby susceptible to infection in the womb. Nothing else can protect babies from exposure to the outside environment, so that the germs that cause infection will easily enter.
4. Bleeding after giving birth
In some cases, the process of induction of childbirth can lead to the muscles of the uterus that are difficult to contract properly after delivery (uterine atony). This condition eventually causes the mother to experience serious bleeding.
5. Risk of making the uterus tear
Stimulation of labor induction is usually done with the help of drugs. This option is considered unsafe for mothers who have previously had a cesarean section or other surgery performed on the uterus. Because there is a risk of experiencing a torn uterus (uterine rupture).