National Guideline Clearinghouse: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Induction of labor These guidelines are designed to aid practitioners in making decisions about appropriate obstetric and gynecologic care, to review and summarize the current methods for cervical ripening and induction of labor and their effectivenesss and to classify the indications for and contraindications to induction of labor, and outline the requirements for the safe clinical use of the various methods of inducing labor.