Has cervadil started labor for you?

[sonuptosondown]

I was induced with my dd at 38w. My cervix was not favorable so they brought me in to the hospital the night before to do the cervadil. They told me that would soften my cervix so that they could start the pitocin in the morning.

I ended up having my baby girl 12 hours after they started the cervadil, before anyone realized how much I had progressed (nurse delivered baby). So I never needed the pitocin, as she was born before they planned to start it.

I'm getting induced again this time, although a bit later on (if baby doesn't come on his own before). I told my dr. I'd like another cervadil induction, and she said cervadil doesn't usually cause labor to start. She believes I must have been in early labor already and that's why I didn't need the pitocin. So her plan is to bring me in and just start with pitocin as long as my cervix is favorable, which it probably will be this time.

Cervadil can cause labor to start, can't it? Has anyone else been given cervadil and not needed any other induction agents?

[crunchymomofmany]

Yes. Cervadil started labor for me with number 5. I was at 42 weeks with Jack. I thought I might be starting labor and went to the hospital (which was 35 minutes away at the time). Contractions stopped as soon as I got there but we were getting a huge ice storm - so rather than send me home, we decided to try cervadil (I was about 4 cm dialated, not unusual for me just "walking around"). I didn't think it would work, went to sleep in the hospital finally after hours of walking around and woke up at 2 am in strong labor. Had Jack at 5 am in the tub! Jack was 10+ pounds and presented with his elbow first (he slept with his arm over his head for months after he was born!).

I was really grateful the cervadil worked, because at that point (42 weeks with a 10 pound baby), I was pretty much not leaving the hospital without a babe in arms! I told them I would camp out there!

[Cheshire]

If it worked the first time I'd ask my doctor to humor me and try it again.

I had a pit induction with my second and I do not like pit. It wasn't more painful than my first birth but it just didn't work well and I was so swollen after the birth (I think the pit contributed to it along with all of the fluids they pump you full of). After 8 hours on pit I still didn't have a great contraction pattern and had only dilated to 5cm (I was at 4cm when I started - thought it would go a little faster).

If I need another induction with this pregnancy I'm going to ask for cervadil. I'm glad to know sonuptosondown's worked even when she was already favorable. Cool!

I think I'll do about anything to avoid pit if I can.

Edited to add - I meant crunchymomofmany - that your cervix was favorable - I read the earlier post wrong.

[guestmama9916]

It didn't do anything for me at 40 weeks although the doctor did stick around an hour or two after putting it in to make sure I didn't go into labor. He said occasionally it will start labor but the main purpose of it is to ripen the cervix. I think the problem is that its expensive. So you may have a hard time getting your doctor to agree to it if your cervix is already favorable. I think you should try though! Good luck!

[kiwiva]

It worked for me. I was 39 weeks and water had broken 2 days before. Nothing was happening at all. Labor started a few hours later.

[kawa kamuri]

yes!

[~Kristina~]

My best friend went in for an induction. Did the cervidil and within 20 minutes she was in labor. Delivered in a little under 4 hours. She was 2 cm going in and not having any contractions.

[sonuptosondown]

OK, I'm glad I asked! I wonder if it is the cost that made my dr. pretty much just say "no" when I asked. I will be asking again, though--it worked really well and I had a good labor experience, except for the fact that nobody was checking on me and my dh slept through most of it since they had told us nothing would happen until they started the pit in the morning!

I had a "sort of" induction with ds2--I was in very very early labor at 40 weeks, had high bp (but not very high, we could have waited), so dr. broke my water (which I would not allow again) and started pit when I didn't automatically start progressing. Then irresponsibly just kept cranking it up so he could go home for prime time tv--I'm convinced he was just in a hurry. I went from start to finish in 4 hours and it was brutal. The epi couldn't even keep up.

[layla983]

I was given it at 39 weeks because they thought I had pre-e & were going to induce me the next morning. Turns out I had no pre-e, so I refused the next morning when the pit was brought in & went home. Everyone told me I'd be back by that night because the cervadil "would do the trick." Now, it didn't. I didn't go into labor until over 2 weeks after & even then it was induced with pit, but everyone at my doctors office & the hospital was shocked that the cervadil didn't kick start my labor. When I finally had DS, the head nursery nurse actually mentioned it'd been so long & they had all of his stuff already done nursery wise (all of his stuff when I finally had him in December of 07 actually had the November date & the ther room number marked out), they assumed I'd had my son already but at the other hospital, so she called and checked to see if I had.

So while it didn't do anything for me, everyone was shocked because from what I understand, it can cause labor to start. If it worked once, chances are it'll work again. I personally wouldn't agree to pit for anything after having it if there were any other possible options, so I'd stick with at least giving the cervadil a try.

[kcparker]

Read my birth story here for my experience with cervadil (sorry, I am too lazy to type out the relevant parts again). Short answer is yes, but I think I was in early labor anyway.

PS. If I had a choice of cervadil plus spontaneous labor and contractions, or let's start right in with the pit., I would choose the former.

[~Kristina~]

I'm not sure why cost would matter to your doc. In the end you are the one paying for it.

[by-the-lake]

Not sure about the cost either. I had cervidil with DS, had him 5 hours later. I want it again, but don't hear alot about it anymore. (This was 12 years ago). Can this be done at home?

[mommy2maya]

I had cervadil with dd2. I was 38 wks, prom at 48hrs, no active labor, no contractions to speak of at all. Started cervadil at noon, she was born at 5.

[haren.13]

I went in for an induction at 40+6 due to suspected problems with growth. I had had NO contractions at all up to that point and was 1cm dilated, 60-70% effaced. Cervidil placed at 7pm, first contraction at 7:10pm, cervidil pulled at 7:20pm as contractions were on top of each other and baby's heartrate wasn't fluctuating. Water broke at 7:30pm and I was 4cm. Baby born at 11:03pm.

The two theories my midwives have are that I was already really really close, and the irritation of just placing the cervidil started labor (sortof like stripping membranes). Or, that the cervidil caused my uterus to hyperstimulate.

[thefreckledmama]

I was induced with Cervidil. They actually had to remove it after about 2 hours because my contractions were so strong and so close.

[leighann79]

I was induced with Cervidil the first time. Put it in at night and woke up about 5 am when I coudln't sleep through the contractions anymore. Then they started Pitocin. I don't think I would have needed it, but didn't know enough to say no then.

I had a different dr with my other two and he told me that I didn't induce well with Cervadil. ??? Didn't make sense to me. I'm using a midwife this time.