This article explains the usage of evening primrose oil to induce labor, what evening primrose oil does, and how it should be used.
Evening primrose oil is a commonly used method of naturally preparing the body for labor. It does not directly induce labor, as commonly believed. Evening primrose oil acts as a prostaglandin, which ripens and softens the cervix. The ripening of the cervix can help the baby's head engage deeper into the pelvis, which can help with dilation. Ripening the cervix can cause some of the contractions that start labor. Sometimes, though, these contractions are simply Braxton-Hicks contractions, which help prepare the body for labor, but do not mean you are in active labor yet. Ripening the cervix can help trigger the onset of labor, but it is unlikely that evening primrose oil will bring on labor in a woman whose body is not otherwise ready. Even if you end up having to induce labor, using evening primrose oil in the days and weeks prior to induction can still be beneficial. When the cervix has been ripened and softened, induction has a much higher rate of being successful. The ripening of the cervix may even aid in making labor faster and easier.
The body can be stubborn, and even when using all the natural methods of inducing labor that are available, you still may not go into labor right away. The most important thing you can do is relax, since stress itself can delay or even stall your labor. Unless there is a medical reason to worry, don't be concerned if your due date has come and gone. Even if it doesn't seem like it, your body and your baby are preparing for labor to begin.
