induction

In obstetrics, deliberate intervention to initiate labour before it starts naturally; then it usually proceeds normally. Induction involves rupture of the fetal membranes (amniotomy) and the use of the hormone oxytocin to stimulate contractions of the womb. In biology, induction is a term used for various processes, including the production of an enzyme in response to a particular chemical in the cell, and the differentiation of cells in an embryo in response to the presence of neighbouring tissues.

In obstetrics, induction is recommended as a medical necessity where there is risk to the mother or baby in waiting for labour to begin of its own accord.