You are a week or more past your due date, and you show no or slow signs of cervical dilation and labor. Your water breaks, but your labor doesn't start. Or you or your baby face medical issues that pose a health threat, which is the case for Cheryl.Ĭheryl has an antibody in her blood that could harm her baby, so the induction is a precautionary measure to help avoid any problems. There are a number of methods available to medically induce or ripen the cervix to get your labor moving.

If your labor needs to be induced, you may be treated with one or more of the following in the hospital:Ī foley catheter. Your practitioner may insert a tube with a very small, uninflated balloon at the tip into the opening of your cervix, demonstrated here with this curled-up hand. The balloon is then inflated, which puts pressure on your cervix and amniotic sac.