Have any MN'rs refused induction at 42 wks, if so what happened??

[sambo303]

Hi there - I am 40+ 2 today, MW already talking induction, which i hope to avoid in case it puts the kai bosh on my homebirth plans. MW says my placenta will stop working at 42 wks, though I thought placenta goes iffy at 43. My sister was induced and endured 55 hours of labour.

Just wondered what other MN'ers have experienced if you decided to decline induction.

thanks

[Notanexcitingname]

You midwife is over simplifying. The rates of stillbirth do go up at 42 weeks; but not very much. i'm quoting from memory, it's from something like 6 in 10,000 to 8 in 10,0000, but that's the origina of "the placenta stops working at 42 weeks" line.
My DS was 12 days over, and placenta looked just fine, there are stories of stillbirth from placenta failure at 41 weeks, as I'm sure at 42 weeks.

A very roundabout way of saying there is a risk, it's small but yours to take. If you decline induction, you should be offered daily monitoring, which did in fact happen to a friend's SIL; I think she finally accepted induction at over 43 weeks.

But equally, at 40+2, you've got load of time, so try not to worry.

[sambo303]

Thanks for your sensible words, I just woke up at 5am with brain in overdrive...hopefully baby will come in next 2 weeks by itself.

[LackaDAISYcal]

someone on my AN thread opted for expectant management and went 19 days over iirc. I'll point her in this direction for you

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

My sis opted for expectant management with her dd - she was born at 43+3.

[lilymolly]

oh my goodness you're brave

I went to 42 weeks then I was induced I was desperate to get it out

I wanted inducing at 40+1

Can't imagine going 43+

[3andnomore]

I am sure I have heard that in France they say a pregnancy is 42 weeks, not 40 weeks....

Riven, did the mw's not mention anything about our placenta? I would think they would have seen if it was alright or not after the placenta was exspelled...they do check it don't they...

[tortoiseshell]

Ds1 was induced at 12 days over which was the rule here.

With dd I wanted a homebirth, so when I got to 41 weeks I saw the consultant, he confirmed everything was ok, made another appointment for 42 weeks, she was born spot on 42 weeks, successful homebirth. So that was 2 days over their 'rule' for induction. I think they would have let me go longer as well - but would have monitored closely.

Ds2 was another homebirth but he was only 8 days over. With him I felt he was 'early' because I was expecting the full 2 weeks!

Interestingly dd who was the longest over looked almost premature (apart from being HUGE) - she was covered in vernix, plumped out, and everyone said they would have thought she was 38 weeks not 42.

Ds2 who was only 8 days late was very 'post-dates' in appearance - wrinkly skin, seemed to have shrunk away from his skin a bit.

Looking at their sizes at the 12 week scan, they all tie in perfectly with the dates they were born - ds1 was small at that time, dd was right at the small end for 12 weeks, ds2 was a bit more in the middle, suggesting that ds1 and dd were actually a later conception date than dates would show and therefore would be born later.

[juuule]

My own personal view was that I would not refuse induction once I reached 42w. It was a risk that I wasn't prepared to take.

I've been induced twice. First baby 41+6 and 9th baby 42w exactly.

With my 6th the consultant was adamant that the baby needed to be induced no later than 40+10. I said I wanted to leave it longer and he said that it was up to me but if it was his baby he wouldn't leave it any longer as the baby appeared to have lost weight. I thought that was a strange and didn't really believe him although I did agree to the induction date. Dd was born 5 hours before the booking in time of me being induced so had made her mind up to put in an appearance anyway. The consultant did appear to be right. She was very thin although average length and weighing 6lb14. I've never seen any other new baby with a bony bum. Very bony at the base of her spine. I was told that it looked as though the placenta had been failing and dd had been living off her own body fat.

[TinySocks]

had a baby with brain damage

[3andnomore]

juule....whenever I read about how many babies you have I just gulp....but you are probably used to such reactions....( think it is amazing, just could not imagine myself to be able to cope)

[laidbackinengland]

I went to 42 + 2 with DS3. After an intial push for induction from the hospital, my midwife and consultant were happy for me to carry on without being induced as long as I went into the hospital for monitoring both baby and placenta. Had acupuncture twice to try and star things off and then DS3 was born at home in less than an hour from first contraction to birth.

[bundle]

a doctor friend of mine knows of a woman who went to 43 weeks and her baby died. I don't think it's worth the risk

[Mummyfor3]

TinySocks, for you.

I was induced at 42+1 with DS1 and an overall good delivery with healthy babe.

After CS with DS2 I was v keen on VBAC, went over 41 weeks but finally went into labour at 41+6.

A lot of hospital policys state induction at 40+10 but of course you cannot be "made" to accept anything. The issue is the albeit small but real increase in risk of still birth. Personally, I was prepared to go to 42 weeks but not sure how much longer I would have held out.

[TheProvincialLady]

Went to 42+6 with DS...although I was in labour for 2 days of that so I knew he was on the way out, albeit slowly. He came out absolutely perfect, not overcooked at all and apgars 10 and 10, placenta beautiful apparently

No one can tell you that it will be ok and no one can tell you that it won't. The risk is small if you wait but there is a risk - on the other hand there is also a risk with induction (consultants etc not so keen to talk about that one though!).

I think your MW was wrog to even raise the question of induction with you TBH. Your chance of having your baby in the next 2 weeks is about 80%. Try not to fret

[harpsichordcarrier]

I agree with notanexcitingname - the risk is your's to take.
remember too that there are increased risks with induction that you need to put in the balance. induction is not risk free and increases your risk of having intervention - inc. instrumental deliveries and C section, which in themselves increase the risk to you and your baby.
of course the risk of still birth is a very emotive issue but it is worth bearing in mind that it is not the only risk. there is also the risk of having a difficult time in the first few weeks if you have a birth with intervention.
it is also worth bearing in mind that the due date is an approximation, based on the idea that:

all women have 28 day cycles (bolleaux)
all women ovulate and conceive on the same day in that 28 day cycle (double bolleaux)
all pregnancies last the same time (triple bolleaux)

women aren't machines.

[maxbear]

Sometimes placentae fail at 37, 38, 39 weeks etc, usually they don't though, it is not like it will suddenly deteriorate at midnight on the day of 42 weeks. As someone else said it is very likely that you will have it well before then, try to relax and it will probably happen.

I personally worried and worried about being induced and first time was two days over, second time was a few days early.

[WhereTheWildThingsWere]

In France term is classes as 41 weeks, and like here they 'allow' you to go two weeks over, so induction will not be carried out until 43 weeks anyway, draw your own conclusions from that.

Maaaaaaaaaaaaany years ago one of my oldest friends has her first baby at 17, being young and shockingly stubborn, she refused all intevention and had her ds at 44+5 , he was perfectly healthy (11lb 2oz!) and all was fine.

Not saying that it was a good idea btw, just that it does happen, it's your body and your decision.

Having said all that you'll probably go into labour tonight.

[belgo]

In Belgium they 'let' you go to a maximum 10 days over as long as all is well - they monitor you and the baby every two days after 40 weeks.

I'm sure of my dates this time and wouldn't want to go over 10 days overdue.

[Walkthedinosaur]

DS1 was induced 42 + 1, he was a big baby and there were complications in labour which included his heart stopping, two or three times, the third time it took it's time to start again and that resulted in a ECS. Aftewards the consultant said it was probably as a result of the placenta starting to fail and failing to support him during the stronger contractions.

He has dyspraxia now and I often wonder if it was as a result of the trauma he went through at birth.

[3andnomore]

WTWTW, I thought it was something like that...

[FrannyandZooey]

I was planning to have monitoring at 42 weeks
as it happened ds2 turned up that day

[sambo303]

thank you all for sharing your experiences - my heart goes out to riven, Tiny Socks + Walkthedinosaur

It's clearly something that requires a lot of careful thought - think I'll try to relax and do all the old wives tales things this week to encourage labour and baby will hopefully arrive without medical intervention.

[tibni]

I was induced a few days early with dd because of blood pressure problems. I went to 42 weeks with ds and was booked in for an induction when he decided it was time to arrive. He was 10lb 8oz (unexpected - predicted weight 8lb) and got stuck trying to make his entrance in superman pose. Quick but difficult birth for him and me. DS is autistic with learning difficulties, I don't know if the birth and disability are connected.