title: Indications for induction of labor.
abstract: Despite all the new technology, the research being conducted, and progress in the field of obstetrics, much controversy remains concerning the management of the high-risk patient and when--or whether--to induce labor. One factor complicating the discussion is that health centers vary in the services they offer. Many are small, lacking a high-risk labor and delivery unit, a fetal assessment unit, and a neonatal intensive care unit, and may be far from larger centers. Early diagnosis of a complicated pregnancy not only means early treatment by the admitting hospital, but, if necessary, crucial time to transfer the patient to appropriate facilities. All the following play a major role in obstetrical care nursing: participating in the diagnosis that indicates the need for induction, implementing and following through with the various methods of induction, and at the same time, providing emotional support to patients. Early prenatal counseling and education, ongoing alertness to variations in maternal/fetal conditions, accurate interpretation and recording of data, and open patient/nurse/physician communication are all important factors in a successful birth, with healthy mother and infant.
authors.affiliation: Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brouillard-Pierce
mesh_terms: D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D005260:Female; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007751:Labor, Induced / Q000379:methods* / Q000451:nursing; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000628:therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index