Is taking castor oil for inducing labor okay for both the unborn child and mother?
Castor oil is one of the most unpleasant ways to induce labor. It makes the mother nauseous and it often causes diarrhea. Furthermore its safety has not been evaluated by large randomized controlled studies. I personally know about several cases of fetus distress during labor obviously related to the use of castor oil. I use this opportunity to mention that women often ask me about ‘natural’ methods of labor induction. My answer is that there are no natural methods of induction. If a method is effective, it means that it is not natural, because it has preceded the signals given by the baby. We understand today that the fetus participates in the initiation of labor by sending messages that mean: ‘I am ready’. (For example the mature baby’s lungs can release in the amniotic fluid factors that play a role in birth physiology). Whatever the method, an induced labor is usually longer and more difficult (therefore more dangerous) than a labor that started spontaneously. Instead of being impa
