Can Evening Primrose Oil Help Induce Labor?
If you have reached or passed your due date and are looking to induce labor naturally, evening primrose oil may be your solution. Evening primrose oil is most commonly found in a soft gel capsule form. It can be taken orally is doses of two 500mg per day. The capsule can be opened and the oil inside can be used to massage the perineum. It can also be inserted vaginally so that it sits on the cervix causing it to thin and soften. This is necessary for dilation to begin. Primrose oil is most commonly used by midwives who prefer natural methods of labor induction to those administered in a clinical setting. To soften and thin the cervix, physicians most often use a technique called “stripping the membranes”. Using his fingers, he will physically separate the bag of water from the cervix so the cervix will stretch and thin. There has been ongoing debate as to the effectiveness of using evening primrose oil to induce labor. As with most other natural methods of labor induction, primrose oil
