Natural Labour vs Induced Labour - What Is The Difference?

A million-dollar question for spouse and parents these days is to take a call on whether to induce labor or hold on till the normal labor begins. An induced labor is initiated with Syntocinon. Pregnant women and her families should be aware that initiating induced pregnancy for low-risk pregnancy brings with it a lot of complication that at times is uncalled for.

Here is a list of difference between how natural and induced pregnancy differs in their nature:

1. Pregnancy hormone: Oxytocin that initiates contraction in a pregnant woman does so over many hours. In case of natural labor, the body gets around 10 hours of contraction with periodic rests in between. It helps the body get enough time to recover from a contraction before the next contraction begins. However, in case of an induced labor, Pitocin is used to initiate contraction. The biggest disadvantage of this method is the fact that the body gets no downtime. Contractions happen one after another with no breaks in between.
2. Contraction pain: Natural contractions build gradually that are mild and short. Over time, the contraction might become more intense and close together. However, in the case of an induced labor, the Syntocinon or Pitocin used through intravenous infusion or IV does not communicate to the brain to release endorphins. As a result, a pregnant woman feels intense pain right from the start of the pregnancy. Doctors often inject pain medication to counter the sudden and intense pain.
3. Movement during labor: During a normal labor, women can seek out places and positions in which they feel most comfortable. It is important to move during the contraction so that the baby finds enough room for the birth. In induced labor, it requires constant monitoring by the medical team to ensure that the fetus is not in distress. The mother gets no room to move during this process and the baby gets less room for the birth.
4. Fetal ejection: It is a phenomenon that involves the body’s uncontrollable powerful urge to push. High level of oxytocin along with adrenaline is accumulated in the cervix region for the downward and outward movement of the baby. In case of an induced labor, the fetal ejection doesn’t occur. Women undergoing induced labor often requires medical intervention at different stages of the baby’s birth.
5. Baby’s brain: During the process of normal labour, the oxytocin protects the brain of the baby from getting damaged due to lower volume of oxygen. This is not the case when it comes to induced labor. The synthetic oxytocin interferes with the ability of the body to produce the hormone. Thus, it exposes the baby to oxygen deprivation.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!