Your Labor Induction

Thank you for choosing Norton Women’s Care for your maternity care.

You tentatively have been scheduled for an induction of labor at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital.

A staff member from the hospital’s labor and delivery department will call on the date of your induction to let you know when a bed is available. Ensure your Norton MyChart account contact information is up to date and that you have given permission for us to contact you.

Having a baby is an exciting and anxious time! There are many things to think about and prepare for, especially before a planned delivery.

For Elective Inductions

An elective labor induction is done when you and your obstetric provider decide to start the childbirth process for nonmedical reasons.
An elective induction cannot be done before your 39th week of pregnancy.
An elective induction may:
- Increase the length of your labor and hospital stay.
- Increase the need for pain medication and/or an epidural.
- Decrease your ability to move around in the labor room.
- Increase the chance of cesarean delivery.
Unfortunately, many babies don’t arrive as scheduled, so room availability in the labor and delivery unit is not always known. Your induction date is tentative.
The labor and delivery team cares for patients based on medical priority. This could postpone your induction and delivery.

Preparing for Your Planned Delivery

Stop shaving from the waist down, including pubic hair, three days before your tentative induction date. This helps prevent infection.
Eat a light meal before coming to the hospital. Foods that include protein and healthy carbohydrates are best, such as eggs and whole-grain toast, or yogurt with fruit.
If your insurance provider requires precertification, you must notify it about your planned induction as soon as possible to help ensure you receive your full benefits coverage.
If you are going to have tubal sterilization at the time of delivery, be sure to bring a copy of the consent document that was provided to you.
If you need to reschedule or cancel your induction, call your provider’s office by 3 p.m. the day before your tentative induction date.

If you have an emergency before your appointment, go to an emergency department or call 911.

Call Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital at (502) 893-1270 if you have any questions or concerns about your induction.

Parking and Directions

When it is time to come to the hospital, enter the Norton Healthcare – St. Matthews campus at Entrance 4. Park in the Norton Medical Plaza 3 – St. Matthews parking garage at 4123 Dutchmans Lane or in the surface parking lot next to the Norton Medical Plaza 3 – St. Matthews entrance.

Free valet parking is available Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the entrance to Norton Medical Plaza 3 – St. Matthews and at the main hospital entrance. Once inside Norton Medical Plaza 3 – St. Matthews, take the gold elevators to the second floor. Proceed to the labor and delivery admissions desk.

View map

We are delighted to share in this special time in your life! We look forward to seeing you soon.

Arabic: عملية تحفيز المخاض لولادتكِ

French: Déclenchement du travail

Somali: Dadajinta Fooshada

Spanish: La inducción del trabajo de parto

Swahili: Kuanzishwa Kwako Uzazi na Dawa

What to Expect from Norton Women’s Care

More mothers in Louisville and Southern Indiana choose to deliver their babies at Norton Hospital or Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital than with any other hospital system in the area.

We deliver more than 8,000 babies a year. We’re close to you with more than 90 providers at more than 25 locations around Louisville and Southern Indiana. Choosing Norton Women’s Care gives you many options for how delivery day could go — all with the confidence of knowing that our obstetrics and pediatric specialists are there to help. With Norton Women’s Care, you’ll find:

The birth experience you want: You can choose natural childbirth, a midwife, labor tub, nitrous oxide and other birthing options. We’ll recommend a C-section (cesarean section) or induced labor only if it’s medically necessary.
Preparation: Our specialists offer the support you need, including free Lamaze and other childbirth classes, new parent classes, breastfeeding support, child safety classes and more.
Confidence and quality in care: Norton Women’s Care has been recognized as High Performing — the highest rating available — for maternity care with fewer complications and C-sections, plus breastfeeding support and other benefits.
We offer the highest-level (Level IV) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in Louisville and Southern Indiana at Norton Children’s Hospital, and a sophisticated Level III NICU at Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital.
Around-the-clock OB/GYN care is available at Norton Hospital and Norton Women’s & Children’s Hospital emergency departments.
Our board-certified maternal-fetal medicine specialists can help guide you through a high-risk pregnancy, from treating preexisting diabetes in the pregnant patient to a fetal echocardiogram to diagnose a congenital heart condition before a baby is born.
Medicare, Medicaid and most major commercial insurance plans are accepted.
Convenient access to your medical record: Communicate with your health care provider, get lab results, renew prescriptions and more through your free Norton MyChart account.