What else should I keep in mind?

You have the right and responsibility to make informed maternity care decisions for yourself and your baby. This may mean agreeing to (consenting to) or refusing an intervention or procedure. Your care provider has the responsibility to provide accurate, unbiased information to help you make an informed decision.

Whether, when and how to induce labor are rarely clear-cut decisions. They often involve uncertainty about benefits and harms. It is important to make this decision based on both accurate information and your own preferences and priorities. As the person receiving care and the mother of your baby, you are in the best position to consider the trade-offs.

Ideally, your care provider will be able and willing to provide unbiased and complete information, and you can make this decision together. However, some care providers may face financial incentives to encourage induction of labor (because they are able to bill for payment for attending your birth), or may have a preference for induction of labor based on its convenience relative to their professional and personal commitments. Busy care providers face challenges in staying up-to-date with the large, continually growing body of research about best practices. Therefore, it’s especially important that you come to the table with as much information as you can and think about what you’d like to do before you’re faced with tough decisions.