EBB 367 - Early AROM and High-Dose Pitocin with all Inductions? Breaking Down the Latest Induction Trends with Jennifer Anderson, RN, Doula, and EBB Instructor

Evidence Based Birth®

Rebecca Dekker

Pregnancy, Health & Fitness, Childbirth, Parenting, Birth, Medicine, Kids & Family, Doula, Obstetrician, Midwife

4.6 • 978 Ratings

🗓️ 13 August 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Jennifer Anderson, RN, experienced doula, Evidence Based Birth®

Instructor, and member of Team EBB, returns to the podcast to join Dr. Rebecca Dekker in unpacking a new trend in labor induction protocols—starting Pitocin at higher doses and incorporating early artificial rupture of membranes (AROM). Drawing from her work with high-risk clients and firsthand experience inside hospital systems, Jennifer highlights how policies aimed at “optimizing” labor often prioritize speed over patient-centered care. Together, they examine what’s in these new induction bundles, the evidence behind faster-moving protocols like dual-method cervical ripening and 4x4 Pitocin, and the importance of informed decision-making at every stage.

(04:10) A Client Story That Sparked Concern Over High-Dose Pitocin
(07:27) What “2x2” vs. “4x4” Pitocin Protocols Mean
(09:41) Hospital Protocols: What the Nurse Can (and Can’t) Do
(12:25) Inside the New Induction Policy: What’s Changing and Why
(18:40) Balloon Checks, Membrane Sweeps, and Patient Comfort
(23:43) “Timely AROM” and the Push for Early Artificial Rupture of Membranes
(30:54) Does Early AROM Shorten Labor Without Increasing Infection?
(45:19) Alternatives to Shorten Labor Without Breaking the Water
(52:04) Why a “Failed Induction” Policy Can Prevent Unnecessary Cesareans
(55:43) How to Push Back on High-Dose Pitocin or Early AROM

Resources

Explore Jen’s work: birthfusion.com | @birthfusion

Take the Evidence Based Birth®

Childbirth Class: ebbirth.com/childbirth-class/

Watch the EBB Crash Course on YouTube here

Get the EBB Labor Induction Pocket Guide here

EBB Failure to Progress Resource Page: ebbirth.com/failuretoprogress

EBB 155 – Pelvic Floor Health in Pregnancy and Postpartum with Dr. Juan Michelle Martin

EBB 118 – How to Have a Healthy Postpartum Transition with Dr. Alyssa Berlin

For more information about Evidence Based Birth® and a crash course on evidence based care, visit www.ebbirth.com. Follow us on Instagram and YouTube! Ready to learn more? Grab an EBB Podcast Listening Guide or read Dr. Dekker's book, "Babies Are Not Pizzas: They're Born, Not Delivered!" If you want to get involved at EBB, join our Professional membership (scholarship options available) and get on the wait list for our EBB Instructor program. Find an EBB Instructor here, and click here to learn more about the EBB Childbirth Class.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, everyone. On today's podcast, we're going to talk with registered nurse, experienced
0:04.4	doula, and EBB instructor Jennifer Anderson about the trend of recommending high-dose pitocin
0:10.5	and early rupture of membranes during a labor induction.
0:17.8	Welcome to the evidence-based birth podcast. My name is Rebecca Decker, and I'm a nurse with my PhD and the founder of evidence-based birth.
0:26.4	Join me each week as we work together to get evidence-based information into the hands of families and professionals around the world.
0:34.3	As a reminder, this information is not medical advice.
0:40.4	See eBbirth.com slash disclaimer for more details. Hi, everyone, and welcome to the evidence-based birth podcast. Today I'm so excited
0:48.4	to talk with EBV team member Jennifer Anderson about current trends in labor induction.
0:53.9	And in the meantime, I hope you've been enjoying our special August series where we're
0:57.5	highlighting the voices of Team EBB.
1:00.0	Today, Jen is going to educate us about the trend of high-dose pitocin and early rupture
1:04.7	of membranes with labor inductions, and then there's still more to come later this month.
1:09.5	Next week in episode 368, you'll hear a moving birth story from Ricky Jenkins, our
1:14.8	EBB instructor program coordinator.
1:16.9	Ricky is a doula and an IVCL and she and her husband Nova are going to share their journey
1:21.8	through a planned home feedback, hospital transfer, and ultimately a redemptive cesarean birth. Then on August 27, Dr.
1:29.8	Morgan Richardson Kayama, a research team member at EBB will share her work on
1:34.2	respectful care and preventing mistreatment in childbirth. We will also have a
1:38.6	special brand-new evidence-based birth handout on respectful maternity care that you
1:43.4	can download on that day as well.
1:45.1	I am so thankful to be able to work alongside such a dedicated and compassionate team here at
1:50.7	evidence-based birth. Everyone's commitment truly inspires me and keeps me going even when it's hard,
	...

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