Questions to Ask When Your Provider Recommends an Induction

Maybe you've been told you're “high risk.” Maybe you're 35+. Maybe you have gestational diabetes. Maybe your provider recommends an induction because you're almost 40 weeks or just hit 40 weeks, and that's their usual policy.

Before you assume that recommendation is a requirement, it's okay to ask a few questions:

• What specifically about my pregnancy makes you recommend this?

• Is this recommendation based on something happening with me or my baby, or is it standard policy?

• What are you concerned could happen if we don't do this?

• How does my individual risk compare to the average risk?

• Does my age/gestational diabetes/high-risk status change anything about my pregnancy right now, or is the concern about what could happen later?

• Is there a specific week when the benefits of delivering outweigh the risks of continuing the pregnancy? Why?

• What are the risks of waiting?

• What are the risks of delivering earlier?

• What would you want to see on my ultrasounds, labs, monitoring, or baby's growth before changing the recommendation?

• What would make you comfortable continuing the pregnancy longer?

• Are there other options besides the intervention you're recommending?

  
  

You don't have to question every recommendation or assume your provider is wrong.

And asking questions doesn't mean you're refusing care.

You can hear the risks, understand the recommendation, and decide, “Okay, this makes sense for me.”

Sometimes the answer is yes.

And sometimes it's no.

That's informed consent.

As a doula, I'm not there to tell you which choice to make or give you medical advice.

I'm there to help you (and your partner) understand what's being recommended, think through your options, make sure you feel comfortable asking the questions that matter to you, and help you feel supported in whatever decision you make.

Because “this is what we usually recommend” isn't quite the same thing as “this is what your pregnancy/baby/body needs for the best possible outcome.”

You deserve to understand the difference.