Bishop's score of 0 and Induction

[hhg]

Hi All, looking for some advice please.

1st baby - am now 40+8 and no signs of labour despite trying all the usual things. x2 attempts at sweeps unsuccessful as Bishop's score 0 both at 40+3 and 40+8.

Booked for prostaglandin gel at 40+11 and depending on how that goes for proper induction at 40+12.

Anyone know chances of a successful induction with such a low Bishop's score? If likely to fail and end up with emergency c-section anyway, would rather have semi elective c-section from start.

Any thoughts? Thanks

[CalmInsomniac]

Induction can be quite difficult if your body isn't ready.
What type of birth are you most keen on? If you are quite keen for a vaginal birth, why not postpone induction and ask for a scan and monitoring? The WHO only considers pregnancy as post-term after 42 weeks. I don't mean to sound scary but induction does increase your chance of c-section and I've known several women be induced at 40 + 12 and end up with emcs.
Anecdotes aren't data, but I and and friend put off induction and went into labour naturally at 40+13. Others on here have gone to 40+16 without problems.
If C-section would be your preference anyway, it might be worth asking your midwife or consultant about that. I think they would probably still advise induction, just due to policy, but having the conversation might open up a valuable opportunity to discuss the relative risks of waiting vs induction vs c-section.

Let us know how you get on.

[OutIntoTheBlue]

Hi there hhg

I did reply earlier but it disappeared when I tried to post it

Not sure if this will help you or not, but I was induced at 40+11 after 2 failed sweeps. My Bishops score was either 0 or 1 (can't quite remember) and the midwife said my cervix was high, hard adn closed, that I was 'unfavourable' and that it wouldn't work. The plan was first Prostin gel in at 6pm, then they'd leave me til 6am to give me teh enxt so I could sleep, and 3rd prostin at noon teh following day.

Long story short: contractions started about 2 hours after the first Prostin, things really got going at about 11pm, and I was 10cm dilated by 3am. DD was born at 5am :)

So I know I'm not a representative sample but it certainly worked on me! Best of luck, bet you can't wait to meet your baby

[hhg]

Thanks Both - thats a great reassuring story. Ideally would like things to progress with just prostin gel. Just keen to avoid prolonged painful attemps at induction which dont work and end up in emergency c-section. Maybe I am being negative. Got a consultant appt tomorrow so fingers crossed we sort a plan

[TruthSweet]

DD1 was born 4 days after starting an induction with a BS of 0 at 38w. It didn't get to 1 until day 3 when they managed to get me dilated enough to get the amnio hook in to break my waters which caused nothing much to happen so I had an epi/synt combo with side order of ventouse delivery. She was my first baby and I did have bad SPD so I don't know whether that interfered with things going well too. Still at the time NICE guidelines for induction was 7+ so (IIRC) but I would still have rather had the induction than a c/s (my own personal views of course).

Hope everything goes well for you and that you don't need any help to deliver.

[Wishiwasarestaurantcritic]

I was induced at 40 + 12 after 2 unsuccessful sweeps. (hosp policy was 41 weeks, but I'd made a stand as the baby was active and I was healthy..however, got fed up with being an elephant and felt movements were starting to tail off so thought I'd swallow my principles and get moving!). I managed to go from a nothing going on cervix so high it was nearly tickling my tonsils to a bouncing 10lb baby boy 2 hours later. I reckon his watch had stopped and he just hadn't realised the time! Hope the same happens for you.