Tag: Bishop score

According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, induced births make up 23.4% of all births in the United States. When considering a medical induction or augmentation, a key question arises: **how dilated do you have to be to start oxytocin?** The answer is not a single number but depends on a comprehensive clinical assessment of cervical readiness.

Your healthcare provider will not start Pitocin for labor induction until your cervix is 'favorable,' a condition determined by a set of criteria rather than a specific dilation measurement. This is because Pitocin primarily strengthens contractions, and an unprepared cervix will not respond effectively.