US Medical Term · maternity
Labor Induction
Inducción del parto
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Labor Induction |
| Spanish (Español) | Inducción del parto |
| Chinese (中文) | 引產 |
| Korean (한국어) | 분만 유도 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Khởi phát chuyển dạ |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Induction ng panganganak |
| Portuguese (Português) | Indução do parto |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | การชักนำการคลอด |
| Japanese (日本語) | 分娩誘発 |
What it means
Labor induction is a medical process to start labor artificially before it begins on its own. It is recommended when continuing the pregnancy poses more risk than delivering — for example, if you are past 41 weeks, have preeclampsia, or your baby is not growing well. Methods include medications (such as Pitocin or prostaglandin gel to ripen the cervix) and mechanical techniques like a balloon catheter or breaking your water. Induction can take hours or even days. Your care team will monitor you and your baby continuously during the process. Not all inductions lead to vaginal delivery.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My doctor is recommending induction at 39 weeks — can you explain why that's the recommendation?
Mi médico está recomendando la inducción a las 39 semanas — ¿puede explicarme por qué es esa la recomendación?
What methods will be used to induce my labor?
¿Qué métodos se usarán para inducir mi trabajo de parto?
How long does labor induction usually take?
¿Cuánto tiempo suele tardar la inducción del parto?
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
O61 Failed induction of laborRelated terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026