To think this decision about how to give birth is impossible

[AliceAbsolum]

7 years trying, 5 rounds of IVF, previous loss. Consultant wants to induce at 39 weeks due to ivf. Or I can elect for a c section. I've been incredibly anxious through this whole pregnancy and I have no idea how to make this decision. Every time I read about it I just go back and forth. There are pros and cons on each side. It's impossible!

I'd like a straightforward natural birth but that looks unlikely to happen. How can you decide about something where you have no idea what will happen? I don't have any gut feelings or strong preferences either way. I don't want major surgery but I also don't want 3 days of pain and panic followed by surgery....

Maybe I'll just ask the consultant whats safest for the baby and go with that.

How did other people decide?

I'd ask for a second opinion to discuss whether this is really necessary:

sofatinfertility.com/news/is-it-possible-for-ivf-mothers-to-deliver-a-baby-vaginally/

It is. Many IVF babies are born naturally. I had a section for my first because he had health issues, but am planning a vbac water birth for my second. A section was proposed, but no-one can provide me with clear evidence as to why I shouldn't have a natural birth.

Asking for a c-section part way through an induction would still be classed as EMCS so the stats aren’t going to reflect a difference. There are 4 categories of c-section - cat 4 is your ELCS, planned in advance. Cat 3 is an EMCS but where you would be asking for one if you weren’t happy with your progression during an induction. Cat 2 is baby/mum are getting tired and distressed and there’s some risk creeping in. This is usually where most EMCS are. You’ll still be awake for the c-section. Cat 1 is there’s an immediate risk to mum or baby, this will be under GA and birth partners won’t be in theatre.

However, I think women who are cat 3 or 4 have a better recovery than those having car 1s or 2 because they’ve not exhausted themselves during labour and they’ve also made the decision. I think women who have cat 1 and 2 struggle with the recovery more and tend to say they had more traumatic births (this is just anecdotal). It’s a calmer environment which seems to help baby do better, mum do better, mum recover better and mum not feel like a failure. I’m not saying women who have a c-section are a failure but a few of my friends have mentioned those feelings.

Elective c is safer for the child and has more predictable outcomes. I'd have the elective c section. I've had two myself for similar reasons.

The important thing here is IVF baby. IVF babies have a higher risk of respiratory distress and other complications linked to birth, so it is a no brainer which is safest for baby. They have a higher perinatal mortality. A planned c-section also means you have the medical staff you need around you, leaving no space for surprises, staff shortage or other negative events.

Lots of IVF babies have vaginal deliveries, but you are already anxious, and the NHS is on its knees, and the risk of complications is, as a consequence , increased.

Giving birth is tough on body and mind. With the c-section, you take most worries about birth away.

My induction was very quick, contractions started withing a couple of hours of pessary, baby born 5 hours later

My sister had an IVF baby vaginally. She was induced because she had reduced movements. She’s a mature mum so assumed with that and the IVF they’d push a C section but the OB said induction and vaginal birth was safer for mother and baby. I don’t remember all the details but one thing was to do with baby’s lungs and them being more likely to have breathing problems if born by section.

So, I’d go with an induction.

I had a very similar dilemma OP … except I was almost certain I didn’t want an induction due to a couple of horror stories & the high chance of having to have an emergency c section anyways.

I talked it through with the doctors & they gave me loads of reading material and told me to go away and think about it.

In the end, I had an elective section, and although I spent everyday willing him to come naturally, and was devastated at my pre-op appointment to learn DP wouldn’t be there for the spinal, which for me was the worst bit (fear of needles), it was the most wonderful, calm, exciting experience. It was also very nice to know I had a definitive end date!

I was very lucky that my partner had 7.5 weeks off, but my recovery was nowhere near as bad as everyone made out. The community midwives did laugh though when I asked if I could use shower gel because I hadn’t after the plaster came off my stitches and I felt I was getting smelly really fast 😂

Having had an induction that ended in an EMCS I had my second child by ELCS and my God what a difference. Elective was a beautiful experience.

C section was the best and safest thing for me 100 %

C section x

It's hard! I had a planned c section, was fine. Also had planned induction which was very fast, they broke the waters and hours later broke the second sack and I didn't have time for my epidural.

But for my 1st my waters broke and nothing happened, needed hormonal drip induction and that was horrible, maybe made worse as his cord was round his neck so needed assistance!

I had an induction for my first. Didn't want one after hearing all the horror stories but she had stopped growing and was dropping down the percentile chart so I agreed to it. 22 hours from pessary to her being born. Once the drip was started it was about 10 hours. I was offered an epidural but refused and she was born without any further intervention. My waters broke with my second but there was meconium in the water so I had the drip again to try to speed things up. He was born 5 hours after they started the drip. Personally if I had a 3rd and was offered induction or c section I would stick with induction but that's because I know that my previous 2 went pretty smoothly. Some of the horror stories you read about induction I wouldn't blame you one bit for going for a section instead.

Mine too, I've had it done twice. I've never needed the drip.

I've had 2 inductions. If you go down that route I'd insist that someone is on hand whilst your waters are being broken to give you an epidural immediately after. I made this a condition of my last induction and had to be extremely insistent, they probably hated me but glad I did.

Consultant wants to induce at 39 weeks due to ivf

Sorry, it's a long thread, I tried to search for this: why? Why does IVF make OP's consultant think CS is best?

There were things about C-sec that freaked me out so I'm glad I had option to try something else (and am pleased to say vag birth worked fine for me). Not easy, but no way of birthing a baby is easy. It's a big decision now but 20 years later you won't care any more, OP. It's not the biggest decision at all.

Planned CS. Decent night sleep beforehand, baby probably out by lunchtime. A week or two of resting in pj's then a gradual recovery. I've had two. Avoids a potential risky natural birth or EMCS after long labour.

@lljkk IVF babies have a 45% higher risk of mortality . Your personal anecdotes has no values since you didn't have an IVF baby.
My sister didn't even consider vaginal birth. She went straight for c-section. Especially with previous loss

Thanks for the dismissive post, @MrsTuxedo.
I'm so glad you put me in my place and told me not to post anything about my feelings or experiences on this thread.
Do you have a reference for that specific statistic applying to IVF babies born by vaginal birth?

Planned section.
I have had both an induction and a planned section. My section was a wonderful experience. My induction was barbaric.
With a section you are well looked after with as much staff as you need, baby is safe and monitored. If there aren't enough staff/beds you just wait and relax or go home and come back.
With an induction you can be left in pain, not enough staff/beds to progress you so just stay in pain, depending on your hospital you could be completely alone whilst in pain. Babies heart rate can drop or baby can become distressed then you could need an emergency section anyway.
I rarely hear anyone say anything positive about induction but know lots that have had a positive planned section.
My section recovery was faster than my induction and faster than many of my friends natural births.
Baby born at 10am, I was up and about after 6 hours for a wash and fresh pjs, catheter out at 6am, showered, packed and discharged by 11am! Completely back to normal after 7-10 days.

I had an IVF baby at age 45, my 2nd child. It was never mentioned that I shouldn't go to full term or might need a C section. I went 6 days overdue, was induced and it was fine. Not extra painful, as I'd been led to believe. Natural delivery with just a small cut needed. 10 times better than my first delivery, which took forever, with an epidural and ventouse.

Agree. It was never mentioned to me about delivering early because of IVF. As it happened, I had to be induced at 38 weeks as my waters started leaking. And the induction was fine, delivered within a day.

I'm a midwife and have had my own children at home

I'd be more likely to pick planned section over an induction - if my unborn baby is not coping well with the pregnancy then I'm not going to add the stresses of labour

If I were to have an induction it would be after assessing my bishops score (which measures how likely an induction is to work) and with a limited time scale in my own head as to how long for labour to start before opting for a section

uh, can we get a source for that ridiculous made up statistic you’ve provided?

I had an labour that slowed so I got the drugs they give you in an induction, and then I had an induction with DC2. I wasn't stuck on a bed, and found both experiences fine (except that I was totally unprepared for the first one due to rubbish prenatal classes). I also have friends who had very difficult c-sections. So I'd always go induction.