Editing Labor induction (section)

== Criticisms ==
{{Update section|date=February 2025}}
Membrane sweeping, a common method of labor induction, can cause bleeding and irregular contractions and is often done without [[informed consent]] by the pregnant person.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://evidencebasedbirth.com/updated-evidence-on-the-pros-and-cons-of-membrane-sweeping/#:~:text=What%20are%20the%20disadvantages%20of,experience%20bleeding%20after%20the%20procedure | title=EBB 151 - Updated Evidence on the Pros and Cons of Membrane Sweeping | date=27 October 2020 }}</ref>

The medical rationale for performing an induction is decreasing the risk of stillbirth. However, the probability of having a stillbirth post-term is very small, meaning that for the vast majority of [[Postterm pregnancy|post-term pregnancies]], inductions are unnecessary. Approximately 500 inductions are performed in order to avoid 1 stillbirth.<ref>{{cite book | chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11947/ | title=AHRQ Evidence Report Summaries | chapter=Management of Prolonged Pregnancy: Summary | date=March 2002 | publisher=Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US) }}</ref> Many of these unnecessary inductions could potentially provoke other risks, forcing medical practitioners to perform other interventions such as caesarean sections. These additional interventions could cause labor to be more risky for the pregnant person.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Another criticism of inductions is that the pregnant person's [[Bodily integrity|bodily autonomy]] is overlooked. Many pregnant people might not want to be induced, and rather share in the decision-making process with their medical practitioner.<ref>{{cite journal | pmc=9264300 | date=2022 | title=Women's view on shared decision making and autonomy in childbirth: Cohort study of Belgian women | journal=BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth | volume=22 | issue=1 | page=551 | doi=10.1186/s12884-022-04890-x | doi-access=free | pmid=35804308 | vauthors = Deherder E, Delbaere I, MacEdo A, Nieuwenhuijze MJ, Van Laere S, Beeckman K }}</ref>

Induced labor may be more painful for the woman as one of the side effects of intravenous oxytocin is increased contraction pains, mainly due to the rigid onset.<ref>National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, "CG70 Induction of labour: NICE guideline", {{cite web |url=http://publications.nice.org.uk/induction-of-labour-cg70/introduction |title=CG70 - Induction of labour - Introduction - National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence |access-date=2012-04-10 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422152535/http://publications.nice.org.uk/induction-of-labour-cg70/introduction |archive-date=2012-04-22 }} July 2008, retrieved 2012-04-10</ref> This may lead to the increased use of [[analgesic]]s and other pain-relieving pharmaceuticals.<ref>[[David Vernon (writer)|Vernon, David]], ''[[Having a Great Birth in Australia]],'' [[Australian College of Midwives]], 2005, {{ISBN|0-9751674-3-X}}</ref> These interventions may also lead to an increased likelihood of [[caesarean section]] delivery for the baby.<ref>{{cite journal |author1=Roberts Christine L |author2=Tracy Sally |author3=Peat Brian | year = 2000 | title = Rates for obstetric intervention among private and public patients in Australia: population based descriptive study | journal = British Medical Journal | volume = 321 | issue = 7254|pages=137–41 |doi=10.1136/bmj.321.7254.137 |pmid=10894690 |pmc=27430 }}</ref> However after 41 weeks of gestation there is a reduction of cesarean deliveries when the labour is induced.<ref name="cmaj.ca" /><ref>{{cite journal |last=Caughey A. |date=8 May 2013 |title=Induction of labour: does it increase the risk of cesarean delivery? |journal=BJOG |volume=121 |issue=6 |pages=658–661 |doi=10.1111/1471-0528.12329 |pmid=24738892 |s2cid=33295368 |doi-access=free}}<!--|access-date=11 June 2014--></ref>

The [[Institute for Safe Medication Practices]] labeled [[pitocin]] a "high-alert medication" because of the high likelihood of "significant patient harm when it is used in error."<ref>The Institute for Safe Medication Practices [https://www.ismp.org/newsletters/acutecare/showarticle.aspx?id=15 ''Results Of ISMP Survey On High-Alert Medications: Differences Between Nursing, Pharmacy, And Risk/Quality/Safety Perspectives''] ISMP.org. Retrieved 2017-01-09.</ref>