Wanting to be induced early: am I being ridiculous?

[sparkleface]

I'm 33 weeks pregnant and I've been diagnosed with obstetric cholestasis. As it's still relatively early, I'm being monitored so see how my bile acids and liver function levels progress. At the moment they are high, though seem to be dropping. I've been told that it's pretty likely I will be induced at 37 weeks, as even though my bile acid levels aren't over the compulsory cut off level for induction, my liver function levels are pretty raised. However, I am concerned that if they drop a lot, I may not be induced and even though I know it's probably not rational, I am worried and disappointed about this. I'm worried that it may still be dangerous for the baby to go full term and would rather he came earlier. I also have terrible SPD and can't walk, so I would like to give birth as soon as possible to (hopefully) regain my mobility. Is this me being a naive FTM? I know induced births have a higher risk of various interventions, but I just had got my head round the idea that he was coming earlier and now the idea that I may have five more weeks to wait is making me feel anxious and sad.

[tiggersreturn]

No but what your medical team is doing is weighing up the risks to your baby of remaining in you vs coming out. Go read the premature boards and you'll get a flavour of the types of challenges you face with a prem baby. 37 is just full term so if it's possible it's better to incubate til then. It's good you have your head around early delivery and it's scary waiting and not sure what will happen but try and focus on what a great job you're doing growing this baby and how brilliantly you've done to keep the baby in you til this point and how each day you continue to do so is a major achievement. Hope that helpd

[sparkleface]

That's lovely tigger thank you! I should have been clearer, I meant being induced at 37/38 weeks, not any earlier. I want this little one to get to term, I just don't want to potentially be worrying all the way up to 42 weeks

[picklesauage]

I can completely understand where you are coming from. With any pregnancy, let alone SPD or OC. You are fearful and just plain fed up towards the end. You focus on your end date and then when that might get moved further away it is soul destroying.

But I suggest trying to remain rational. Look up the NICE guidelines for both OC and SPD. They will give an idea if what you want is at all reasonable. The other thing to try and keep in mind is you are almost as unlikely to give birth naturally at 42 weeks as you are at 38. What I mean is 'full term' is a spectrum with more people giving birth around 40 weeks than any other time. So statistics are in your favour!

If they do remove your induction you can still ask for a sweep at 40 weeks if it is your first. 41 if your second. If the question that it is in the NICE guidelines. So show them you know what you are talking about.

Good luck!

[Dangermouse80]

I would stick to the plan to have the baby at 37 weeks. I had OC in both my pregnancies and opted both times for a ELCS. For my first I was scheduled at 38 weeks but my bile levels rose and they brought it forward. Having the OC means the baby cannot cope with stress as well so I didn't want to be induced and opted to get the baby out quickly. The risk of stillbirth was constantly on my mind. My hospital were great and supported this decision and I had steroids at 34 weeks. Hope all goes well

[sparkleface]

pickle that is so helpful, thank you. And you are right: the reason I am focussing on 42 weeks is because I was two weeks overdue, but it doesn't mean that will happen for me. I didn't know that about the sweep either, so it's good to have that as a back up plan.
dangermouse this is so useful to know, I have also been wondering about ELCS, so it's interesting to know it's a possibility. The issue is my bile levels are falling, so I shall read the NICE guidelines and get informed. Thanks so much both for your help!

[LBOCS2]

I didn't have OC but I did have preeclampsia and although it remained stable under medication and I was being monitored in hospital every 48hrs, they still took the decision to induce at 38 weeks - on the basis that on balance, the baby would be better out than in. Even if everything remains stable there is likely to come a point where everyone agrees that the baby is safer delivered, and that'll be somewhere after 37weeks (obviously provided your condition doesn't deteriorate).

The other thing is that I get the impression that a lot of people push against induction and so the general feeling is to try and avoid it. If you make it clear you're open to it and would rather be induced and deliver safely post 37 weeks they won't spend so long trying to balance up your desire for a MLU birth/no induction etc.