Induce labor for medical reasons only

Although waiting for nature to take its course can be tiresome, inducing labor is usually done only to protect you or your baby's health. This is the recommendation of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG):

Inducing labor means bringing on labor by medication or other artificial methods. There are a number of reasons why this may be necessary:

The baby isn't thriving or growing in the uterus.
There is something wrong with the placenta.
Your pregnancy is post-date, meaning it has gone beyond 42 weeks.
Your pregnancy has caused you to have high blood pressure.
You have other chronic health problems or an infection in the uterus.

Being tired of the pregnancy or wanting the baby to be born on a certain date because of convenience are not sound reasons to induce labor. Although ACOG recognizes "social" reasons as well, there are risks involved.

Women who have induced labor too early are more likely to have a cesarean than women who have natural labor. There is also the risk of an adverse reaction to medication. If the baby's due date was incorrectly calculated, an induction may cause a premature birth. However, if it is medically necessary, your doctor may recommend induction.

Inducing labor: Four approaches

Your doctor may strip the membranes. Your doctor will insert gloved fingers into the cervix and will brush over the membranes that connect the amniotic sac to the mouth of the uterus, the cervix. You may experience intense cramping and have spotting. This procedure causes your body to release hormones called prostaglandins. These ripen the cervix and can cause contractions.
If your cervix is not ready for labor, your doctor may give you medication or a device to ripen, or dilate, the cervix. This will make it soft so it can stretch for labor.
Your doctor may rupture the amniotic sac (often called breaking the water). This may cause contractions to start or intensify. It may be a bit uncomfortable when the doctor or midwife makes a small hole in the amniotic sac. Usually, women go into labor within hours of the water breaking. Depending upon circumstances your doctor or midwife may opt not to do this because once the amniotic sac has broken, you and the baby are at risk for infection.
You may be given an oxytocin drip intravenously. Oxytocin is a hormone that causes contractions. Often pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin, is used. It can induce labor or make contractions stronger. Pitocin can cause stress to the baby, so continuous electronic fetal monitoring is necessary.