Podcast: Electively Inducing Labor

Rand: From the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, I’m Rand Gardner with Healthcare 411: Information for better health. Many pregnant women are choosing to induce labor. In fact, the number of pregnancies that involve medicine or other methods to start childbirth have more than doubled in the last decade. Margaret Coopey from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality explains:

Coopey: Many women have reasons for choosing to induce the birth of their babies, such as physical discomfort or other concerns. To help women understand the potential pros and cons of choosing induced labor, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has produced a guide that explains elective induction and offers a list of questions to ask a doctor or midwife. This information will help women work with their clinicians to make a decision about which option is right for them.

Rand: The guide, called Thinking About Inducing Your Labor, is available at effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov Healthcare 411 is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.