Induced labour with a balloon catheter

The purpose of inserting af balloon catheter is that it will give a possibillity to rupture the membranes the day after the catheter has been inserted.

The balloon catheter is a thin rubber catheter placed into the uterus through your cervix and filled with water to put pressure on the cervix causing the cervix to dilate.

The membranes can be ruptured after 12-16 hours, a duration up to 24 hours is acceptable.

If your pregnancy has been uncomplicated, you can normally go back home until the next day where the midwife will remove the balloon catheter and then rupture the membranes.

If you have given birth by Caesarean section previously, you have to stay at the hospital after the balloon catheter has been inserted and until it can be removed the next day.

If the catheter falls out or your water breaks spontaneously, you must contact the labour ward. The midwife on call will make a plan for the next step of your delivery.

When the membranes are ruptured, you wait for a few hours to see if contractions start spontaneously. If not, you will be offered intravenous medicine to stimulate contractions.

In a few cases it will not be possible to rupture the membranes. In such a situation a new plan will be made in dialogue with you and a doctor.

Possible side effects in connection with induction of labour using a balloon catheter:

• Small risk of infection in the uterus.
• Menstrual-like pain.
• Discomfort when the ballon catheter is inserted.                          

If you experience menstrual-like pain, you can take pain relieving medicine - 1 g Panodil, aswell as a heating pack often will help.

If you are in need of more pain relief you can contakt the labour ward.