When can i be induced

Medical reasons for inducing labor

Inducing labor (also called labor induction) is when your provider gives you medicine or breaks your water to make labor start.

Your provider may recommend inducing labor if your health or your baby’s health is at risk or if you’re 2 weeks or more past your due date.

Inducing labor should only be for medical reasons. If your pregnancy is healthy, it’s best to wait for labor to start on its own.

If your provider recommends inducing labor, ask about waiting until at least 39 weeks to be induced so your baby has time to develop in the womb.

What is inducing labor?

Inducing labor (also called labor induction) is when your health care provider gives you medicine or uses other methods, like breaking your water (amniotic sac), to make your labor start. The amniotic sac (also called bag of waters) is the sac inside the uterus (womb) that holds your growing baby. The sac is filled with amniotic fluid. Contractions are when the muscles of your uterus get tight and then relax. Contractions help push your baby out of your uterus.

Your provider may recommend inducing labor if your health or your baby’s health is at risk or if you’re 2 weeks or more past your due date. For some women, inducing labor is the best way to keep mom and baby healthy. Inducing labor should be for medical reasons only.

If there are medical reasons to induce your labor, talk to your provider about waiting until at least 39 weeks of pregnancy. This gives your baby the time she needs to grow and develop before birth. Scheduling labor induction should be for medical reasons only.

What are medical reasons for inducing labor?

Your provider may recommend inducing labor if:

Your pregnancy lasts longer than 41 to 42 weeks. After 42 weeks, the placenta may not work as well as it did earlier in pregnancy. The placenta grows in your uterus (womb) and supplies your baby with food and oxygen through the umbilical cord.
Your placenta is separating from your uterus (also called placental abruption) or you have an infection in your uterus.
Your water breaks before labor begins. This is called premature rupture of membranes (also called PROM).
You have health problems, like diabetes, high blood pressure or preeclampsia or problems with your heart, lungs or kidneys. Diabetes is when your body has too much sugar (called glucose) in your blood. This can damage organs in your body, including blood vessels, nerves, eyes and kidneys. High blood pressure is when the force of blood against the walls of the blood vessels is too high and stresses your heart. Preeclampsia is a serious blood pressure condition that can happen after the 20th week of pregnancy or after giving birth (called postpartum preeclampsia).
Your baby has a stopped growing. Or your baby has oligohydramnios. This means your baby doesn’t have enough amniotic fluid.
You have Rh disease and it causes problems with your baby’s blood.

What are the risks of scheduling labor induction for non-medical reasons?

Scheduling labor induction may cause problems for you and your baby because your due date may not be exactly right. Sometimes it’s hard to know exactly when you got pregnant. If you schedule labor induction and your due date is off by a week or 2, your baby may be born too early. Babies born early (called premature babies) may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born on time. This is why it’s important to wait until at least 39 weeks to induce labor.

If your pregnancy is healthy, it’s best to let labor begin on its own. If your provider talks to you about inducing labor, ask if you can wait until at least 39 weeks to be induced. This gives your baby’s lungs and brain all the time they need to fully grow and develop before he’s born.

If there are problems with your pregnancy or your baby’s health, you may need to have your baby earlier than 39 weeks. In these cases, your provider may recommend an early birth because the benefits outweigh the risks. Inducing labor before 39 weeks of pregnancy is recommended only if there are health problems that affect you and your baby.

If your provider recommends inducing labor, ask these questions:

Why do we need to induce my labor?
Is there a problem with my health or the health of my baby that may make inducing labor necessary before 39 weeks? Can I wait to have my baby closer to 39 weeks?
How will you induce my labor?
What can I expect when you induce labor?
Will inducing labor increase the chance that I'll need to have a c-section?
What are my options for pain medicine?

Last reviewed: September, 2018

See also: 39 weeks infographic

Elective Induction

Sometimes, when a woman is nearing the end of her pregnancy, she may have her labor started (induced) rather than waiting for labor to begin on its own. This is called a labor induction. When labor is induced for a non-medical reason, for matters of scheduling convenience, it’s called an elective labor induction.

Electing to have your healthcare provider induce labor may appeal to you. You may want to plan the birth of your baby around a special date, or around your spouse’s or healthcare provider’s schedule. Or maybe, like most women during the last few weeks of pregnancy, you’re simply eager to have your baby.

However, elective labor induction isn’t always best for your baby. Inducing labor before you are at least 39 weeks along in your pregnancy (one week away from your due date) - or before your cervix is ready - has risks. Your care provider will follow the guidelines described here to help determine if and when elective labor induction is okay for you and your baby.

When you became pregnant, your healthcare provider gave you an estimated due date for your baby. This is the date that your baby is expected to be full-term (40 weeks along) and ready to make an entrance into the world. Your due date is based on several factors:

Information about your last menstrual period
Results from various lab tests
The size of your baby based on ultrasound results

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) is a professional organization for doctors who deliver babies. The following guidelines are based on advice from this organization. Your healthcare provider uses these guidelines to make a safe decision about whether or not an elective induction is right for you and your baby. If you don’t meet these guidelines, your healthcare provider may recommend letting labor take its natural course.

Before inducing labor:

Your healthcare provider must confirm that you have not previously had a cesarean delivery (C-section) or major surgery on your uterus.
Your healthcare provider must be certain of your due date to prevent starting labor too early, before your baby is fully developed.
You must be at least 39 weeks along in your pregnancy.
Your cervix must be soft and ready to open (dilate). Your provider can tell this by examining your cervix to determine a Bishop Score, which is the standard measure for assessing the cervix’s readiness for labor. A Bishop Score of at least 10 for first-time moms (8 for others) is a common threshold. With this score, the likelihood of having a vaginal delivery after induction is similar to that of spontaneous labor. See the graphs below to see how Bishop Score relates to length of labor and C-section rate.

Note: If your healthcare provider decides to schedule you for an elective induction, you’ll be given a tentative appointment date. Priority for bed space in the Labor and Delivery Unit is given to patients who are in natural labor and those having labor induced for a medical reason.

Your baby is 2 to 3 times more likely to be admitted to intensive care. This will mean a longer and more difficult hospital stay for your baby. It may also make it harder for the two of you to breastfeed or bond.
Your baby may have trouble breathing and need to be connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) to help her breathe.
Your baby may have trouble maintaining body temperature and need to spend time in a warming area (incubator) to keep her body temperature stable.

When your healthcare provider recommends a labor induction for your health or for the health of your baby, it’s called an indicated labor induction. Labor induction may be indicated during pregnancy for maternal complications such as preeclampsia or severe hypertension, placental or uterine conditions that place the mother or baby’s health at risk, preterm premature rupture of membranes, or to improve fetal outcomes. Intermountain Healthcare providers follow evidence-based care process models developed from guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists to assess these conditions carefully and provide the mother with medical information to allow her to make decisions about her care.

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Please arrive at 10:18 AM or before	When you arrive at the clinic inform the receptionist you used the website to get in line. Your arrival time is not an appointment time. You may lose your place in line if you arrive 15 minutes or more after your scheduled arrival time. Wait times are estimates and may change. Patients with more severe conditions may be seen before you.

About Getting in Line and your Arrival Time

Please arrive at

10:18 AM

or before

When you arrive at the clinic inform the receptionist you used the website to get in line.
Your arrival time is not an appointment time.
You may lose your place in line if you arrive 15 minutes or more after your scheduled arrival time.
Wait times are estimates and may change. Patients with more severe conditions may be seen before you.

© 2018 Intermountain Healthcare. All rights reserved. The content presented here is for your information only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and it should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease. Please consult your healthcare provider if you have any questions or concerns.

Queen of Spades and coffin on wheels. Seances we held as children

On the night of October 31st to November 1st, Halloween is celebrated in many countries. We decided to be nostalgic and remember the most popular "spiritual seances" that almost everyone tried to have in childhood. And clinical psychologist Natalya Andreeva told why children love horror stories so much and whether these “horror stories” are dangerous.

Call of the Queen of Spades

There is a legend that, in addition to our world, there is another - mystical. It is led by four powers, each corresponding to the suits of the cards. Kings and queens for a long time tried to be friendly to each other, but there was still dislike for other suits. One day the Queen of Spades fell in love with the Jack of Hearts. The young people were supposed to get married and unite their powers, but at the very last moment the young man confessed his love for the lady of his own suit. Since then, the Queen of Spades has hated everyone and has become a demoness who brings evil and misfortune to the human world. nine0003

The most popular way to summon the Queen of Spades is to paint a 13-step staircase with red lipstick on a mirror at midnight, and a door with a handle at the top. Light a candle in front of you and place a deck of cards so that the Queen of Spades is face down. It is believed that as soon as the candle starts crackling, the face of a demoness will appear in the mirror. You can ask a lady one question, then quickly erase the drawing from the mirror, and burn the playing card.

Ira: “When I was about eight years old, we called the Queen of Spades in the camp for fun. I had to draw something on my forehead, sit under a big blanket and say some words. The Queen of Spades, of course, did not appear. But two girls later said that she came to them in a dream. Such is the impressionability of a child.” nine0003

Summon a swearing dwarf

A swearing dwarf used to be kind. He loved to communicate with people and helped them in everything. Played the role of a brownie. Once the children began to mock him, and since then the good dwarf has become angry and grouchy. The kids were even more amused. They started calling him more often. From this, he began to swear.

Children find this ritual the most amusing and safe. There are several ways to summon a gnome. For example, pour bread crumbs and candy wrappers on the bed in the dark, say “swearing dwarf, come and eat candy” three times and pretend to be asleep. After a few seconds, the steps of the gnome will be heard over the rustle of candy wrappers. And when the gnome finds out that the wrappers are empty, he will start grumbling and cursing. nine0003

Dasha: “At the age of 10, I ended up in the hospital. It was very boring there. One day, girls older than me drove into the next ward. We decided to call the obscene dwarf. It was necessary to curtain all the windows, scatter crumbs, make dummies of sweets and say something. It was really scary. Yes, we heard some rustling, but now I think it was something childish and far-fetched.

Fortune-telling about the future husband

If you guess not at Christmas, but on Halloween, instead of the desired mummer-betrothed, some evil spirits may inadvertently appear. nine0003

Among the Celts, whose traditions originate the holiday, the symbols of this day were apples, water, fire. Therefore, it is better to guess on them. The girl must go to the mirror in complete darkness at night. Put a candle in front of him and start eating an apple. At this moment, the reflection of the groom appears. But if something happens to a candle, then fortune-telling should be stopped immediately. Otherwise, evil spirits will attack you.

Sasha: “I did this once when I was little and curious. I had to stand in the dark by the mirror with a candle and comb my hair. I didn’t see any groom, but the process itself, no doubt, tickled my nerves. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I am generally afraid of the dark. nine0003

Coffin on wheels

A popular children's horror story goes like this: “One day a little girl was left alone at home. On the radio, she heard, “Girl, girl, a coffin on wheels left the cemetery, looking for your street. Hide." She got scared, decided to call her mother, and the same thing happened there. In one version, the girl eventually disappeared without a trace, in another, she died, and a coffin on wheels was found in the apartment. Although the content of the horror story could change at the initiative of the narrator, who added frightening plot twists. nine0003

Many children in the USSR loved this horror story so much that over time they figured out how to summon this coffin on wheels. The most popular way is to go out to the entrance at night, stand in a circle, say three times "Coffin, come!" and stomp your feet. If the sound of wheels is heard, then you need to run home as soon as possible so that misfortune does not happen.

Anya: “My elder brother told me a horror story about a coffin. When I learned from my friends that he could be summoned to my place, I decided to try it with my girlfriends. We were then seven years old. The very fact that I was standing in the entrance alone, without adults, gave me goosebumps. And then there was the "ritual". In general, we called the coffin. At that moment, the window slammed. We yelled and ran away." nine0003

Spirit Summon

There are many ways to summon spirits. But there is one that is most often shown in films, and therefore it is precisely this that children try. On a sheet of paper, you need to draw three circles with a compass, one inside the other. Divide the smallest one in half. Write "yes" on one side of the circle and "no" on the other side. Number the middle circle, and place all the letters of the alphabet on the large one. Next, you should stick the thread into the needle and hang it like a pendulum over the circles. The participants of the "spiritual séance" greet the spirit, after which they ask him questions. And the eye of the needle supposedly moves through the letters and thus gives the correct answer. nine0003

Vlad: “We did this once with friends in the country. I don’t know what this is connected with, but the needle did move. Not a single prediction came true, but then the sensations inside me were terrible. Perhaps because all the time I was drafted, I imagined how the girl from The Ring would drag me away.

Rite with Pushkin and Gogol

According to the rules of spiritualism, it is better to call on Russian writers separately and in complete purity. Therefore, first you need to clean up the house and open the door or window so that the spirit can enter the room. Then take something from an old service - a saucer is better - and draw a diagram, as in the paragraph above. An arrow should be drawn on the saucer, which will point to the correct answer. After that, all participants in the "spiritual session" should light candles, put their fingers on the saucer and call the spirit three times. Next, you need to clarify whether he came, whether he is definitely an outstanding writer and whether he wants to communicate. nine0003

Anya: “We were 12 years old then. A friend invited me to a sleepover without my parents. Naturally, we read a lot of horror stories and decided to summon the spirit. They performed a ritual with a saucer. At some point, the candles suddenly went out, and from the socket in the room we heard a quiet crackle. In general, everyone yelled. I had to call my parents and ask them to come back soon. After that incident, I am afraid to get involved with such a person. ”

Clinical psychologist Natalya Andreeva:

Everyone went through children's "scary stories" about a coffin on wheels, about a black and black city, about a black hand and the Queen of Spades. Sometimes these memories become the most vivid in a person's life. Why do children love to live these fears over and over again? Why do they enjoy it? nine0003

Fear is one of the seven basic human emotions. It helps to survive in a world full of dangers and plays a more important role than just being afraid of something. When a person feels fear, neurotransmitters are released in his body. They provide the mobilization of the body for salvation in case of real danger. Among them is endorphin, which is necessary for a living being to relieve pain in case of injury or injury.

When the culmination of fear "settles" and the hormonal background gradually stabilizes, endorphins give a feeling of pleasure, as after a successful battle. The same thing works with horror stories. When children tell them, the fear grows, it tickles their nerves, makes them balance between tension and pleasure, and then there is a sharp denouement that relaxes and gives joy. nine0003

Secondly, the passion for horror stories can be justified by the child's own fears. Listening to such stories, he seems to live his fears in them.

Fear is weakened by repeated repetition of the story and unity with friends who sit nearby and are afraid, and then burst into laughter

This stage of development of the emotional sphere and personality of the child as a whole is not dangerous, on the contrary. He teaches to cope with the fear of something in a safe environment (at home under the covers or by the fire with friends), to outgrow it. nine0003

But keep in mind that some stories can really scare younger children. A strong fright can lead to stuttering, enuresis and new fears. The psyche of a small child is not able to separate fictional stories from real events. So they take it all at face value.

The peak of love for horror stories falls on 7-10 years, when children realize where is reality and where is fiction, but still they are not yet fully able to understand what can or cannot happen. This instability in their awareness of the world forces them to balance on the verge of fear and security, tension and pleasure. nine0003

Normally, the child may be frightened, but does not get stuck in it for a long time. Of course, there are very impressionable or anxious children who tend to be afraid of everything. Such people should not be frightened by vampires and coffins on wheels, because their psyche is not able to cope with strong feelings. Jumping out of the closet on them is also not worth it.

You can now call a doctor at home with any symptoms through Service 122. Fontanka explains what has changed - April 1, 2021

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April 1, 15:14

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Photo: Irina Buzhor/Kommersant

9000,0002 If in the winter it was possible to call a doctor by number 122 only with the symptoms coronavirus, then from March 2021, the 122 Service processes all applications for a doctor's house call. We explain what exactly has changed, how best to act and who Victoria is.

By the way, you can also sign up for COVID-19 vaccination by dialing 122Petersburg, to ask general questions related to the coronavirus, and even questions related to the activities of the executive bodies of state power, for example, in the field of social protection, housing and communal services, education, healthcare, transport, etc.

Photo: Irina Buzhor/Kommersant

Has something changed? Why not call, as usual, the clinic?

Yes, it has changed. Since March 15, a doctor's house call has been carried out through the 122 Service. Now, in order to call a doctor at home, you need to dial the free short number 122 and place a call. At the same time, you don’t have to wait for eight in the morning, because Service 122 works around the clock and seven days a week. Even in the evening or on weekends, if you feel unwell, you can leave a request to call a doctor at home. When the clinic starts its work, he will immediately see her and take her to work. nine0003 Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant

Can you call the polyclinic?

When you dial the usual number of your polyclinic, then in the voice menu you will be prompted to press the appropriate button to call a doctor at home, after which your call will still be redirected to Service 122.

to the clinic is paid according to the tariffs of your telecom operator. Therefore, it makes sense not to waste time, but to call directly to number 122 so that the conversation takes place faster and is free. nine0003 Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant

So I have to call 122 even if I don't have covid symptoms?

Quite right. In any case, when you need to invite a local doctor to your home, you need to contact Service 122.

Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant

There is a voice menu. What about older people who do not know how to use the tone mode?

When you call Service 122, you really get into the voice menu, where you need to select the purpose of the call by pressing certain numbers in tone mode. nine0003

If for some reason it was not possible to press the desired button, do not worry - you will be taken to the interactive voice menu (IVR). There, the virtual assistant will offer to voice the purpose of the appeal, after which the call will be redirected in the right direction.

If even here you are confused and did not state the purpose of the call, the call will still not be lost, but will be transferred to a "live" operator, and you will receive the necessary assistance.

Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant

Why do I have to talk to a robot?

In order to accept the maximum number of applications for a doctor's call, Service 122 is assisted by the virtual assistant Victoria. She is still young, but learning as she goes.

Don't worry if your voice assistant doesn't understand you. If Victoria does not recognize any information, then the call will be transferred to the operator, and he will already issue a doctor's house call.

Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant

What questions will Victoria robot ask me?

A conversation with Victoria will take you no more than 4-5 minutes. She will ask you questions about the symptoms, according to the approved list of questions: what is the temperature of the patient, is there a cough, runny nose, does the throat hurt, does the sick person smell.

Questions are formulated in accordance with the current epidemiological situation and approved by the Health Committee. Of course, you will be asked a number of questions on covid topics. In our time, this is indispensable. nine0003

If there are no symptoms of Covid-19, then Victoria will record the ailment from your words, and this information will also be sent to the clinic in the application for a doctor's call.

Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant

How to communicate with a robot?

To reduce the time of filling out an application, you must follow simple rules: do not rush to answer, listen to the question to the end, answer clearly, correctly and to the point, do not be nervous, do not get annoyed - after all, Victoria wants to help you! nine0003

Please also note that if you live in a settlement that is part of St. Petersburg, then you must give the address in full, indicating the city or village. For example: Sestroretsk city, Volodarsky street, 1.

Photo: Irina Buzhor/Kommersant

How will my application get to the clinic?

When you hear the phrase “Your application has been completed”, it means that the application has already been submitted to the clinic. Service 122 and polyclinics work in a single system, and polyclinics see their applications immediately after they appear in a special electronic journal. nine0003 Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant

When will the doctor come?

If your application for a doctor's call is processed by the polyclinic before 2:00 pm on weekdays, then according to the regulations, the doctor must come on the day of treatment, if you applied later, the doctor will come the next day. If you call a doctor on a weekend or holiday, the polyclinic will work out the application in accordance with its regulatory documents and the work schedule of the duty teams.

Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant

How do I know the status of my application?

If you leave your mobile phone as a contact, you will receive text messages: the first one is that the polyclinic has accepted the application for work, and the second message with the planned date of the visit.

If you left a landline phone number as a contact, you can check the status of the request to call a doctor from the operator at 122, two hours after registration, by pressing *1 in the voice menu or by stating the purpose of the request “check status”. The operator of Service 122 by last name will be able to look in the electronic journal of the marks of the medical registrar of the polyclinic on your application and announce its status. nine0003

Thanks to the help of Service 122, now you can easily call the polyclinic for other questions, get advice or make an appointment with specialist doctors.

The material is published in partnership with the Committee for Informatization and Communications of St. Petersburg and based on the data provided by them.

Photo: Irina Bujor/Kommersant