If I intend to go for induction labor, may I know what is the earliest week I can get induced?

Usually you should discuss induction if your pregnancy has gone beyond 41 weeks. For normal birth, the earliest should be 37 weeks if I'm not mistaken. It is only suggested by the doctor if there are some concerns about the baby’s or mother’s safety. For example, the baby may be overdue, or there could be premature rupture of membranes, or baby is getting too big, or other conditions. Otherwise, having an induction (for a normal birth) could bypass natural processes that a woman’s body go through in getting ready for delivery. In other words, allowing labour to take place naturally would likely reduce the possibilities of complications such as low-birth weight, vacuum or forceps-assisted birth, or fetal heart rate changes. You can also consider these suggestions of natural ways to induce labour: Spicy food Eating spicy food may irritate the intestines and causes the uterus to contract. While there had been no studies to ascertain its effectiveness, it seemed to be a better option to another common method which is consuming castor oil. The latter is believed to have the same effect but may have nasty side effects such as nausea, bad case of diarrhea and dehydration. Walking Walking is also another method that is relatively safe though, like eating spicy food, there is no guarantee of any results. It is believed that walking may help draw the baby down into the mother’s pelvis with the help of gravity and movements of the hips. The pressure of baby on the mother’s pelvis may then help induce labour. Acupuncture Acupuncture is also believed to be able to help stimulate uterine activity and nudge the baby into action. For more on natural ways to induce labour, you may refer to these articles: http://sg.theasianparent.com/how-to-give-birth-fast/ http://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/photo-gallery/natural-ways-to-induce-labor.aspx (the second article also discusses the pros and cons of different methods)