The physician is preparing to induce labor on a 40-week multigravid a. The nurse should anticipate the administration of:

Oxytocin (Pitocin) is the synthetic form of the hormone responsible for stimulating uterine contractions. It is the primary and most common pharmacological agent administered to induce or augment labor. The goal of oxytocin infusion is to achieve a contraction pattern that mimics spontaneous labor, leading to cervical change and fetal descent. Its use requires careful titration and continuous electronic fetal monitoring to ensure the safety of both the mother and the fetus, as it carries risks such as uterine tachysystole (excessively frequent contractions) and potential fetal distress.

B. Progesterone: This hormone inhibits uterine contractility and is essential for maintaining pregnancy; it is not used to induce labor.

C. Vasopressin (Pitressin): This is an antidiuretic hormone used to treat conditions like diabetes insipidus and has no primary role in labor induction.

D. Ergonovine maleate: This drug is used to manage postpartum hemorrhage by causing sustained uterine contractions after delivery; it is contraindicated for labor induction.

1. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2009). ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 107: Induction of Labor. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 114(2, Part 1), 386-397. In the "Agents for Labor Induction" section, oxytocin is identified as the most common agent used for inducing labor in the United States (p. 391). https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181b48ef5

2. Cunningham, F. G., Leveno, K. J., Bloom, S. L., et al. (2018). Williams Obstetrics (25th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. Chapter 26, "Induction and Augmentation of Labor," details the pharmacology and clinical application of oxytocin, stating it is "one of the most commonly used medications in the United States" for labor induction.

3. Open RN Project. (2021). Nursing Care of the Childbearing Family. Chippewa Valley Technical College. Chapter 6, "Intrapartum," section on "Induction/Augmentation." This university-level open educational resource states, "Oxytocin is the most common medication used for labor induction." (This resource is licensed under CC BY 4.0).