Your provider inserts it in the vagina to widen the cervix. Giving you medicines to start contractions. Providers often use a medicine called oxytocin to induce labor. This medicine is the man-made form of a hormone that helps start contractions.

What happens when labor is induced?

In an induced labour, or induction, these labour processes are started artificially. It might involve mechanically opening your cervix, breaking your waters, or using medicine to start off your contractions — or a combination of these methods.

How does the hospital induce labor?

Use an intravenous medication. In the hospital, your health care provider might intravenously give you a synthetic version of oxytocin (Pitocin) — a hormone that causes the uterus to contract. Oxytocin is more effective at speeding up (augmenting) labor that has already begun than it is as a cervical ripening agent.