A foot operated traction device for allowing a pregnant woman to selectivelyself-inducedilatation of her cervix via her foot and a method for doing the same, thedevice comprising aballoon catheter comprising an inflatable balloon insertable above the cervixof the pregnantwoman and an elongate, catheter tube comprising a catheter tube proximal endportion and acatheter tube distal end portion coaxially mounted to the inflatable balloon,the inflatable ballooninflatable with a fluid to apply dilatative pressure against the cervix, andan elongate stirrupconnected to the catheter tube at the catheter tube proximal end at a stirrupproximal end andremovably engageable with the foot of the pregnant woman at a stirrup distalend, wherein thestirrup distal end is movable by the movement of the foot to selectively varya traction force ofthe inflatable balloon.
