To want an elective section at 37/38 weeks

[PapayaCravings]

I am a solo mum. I have a 3 year old daughter and am pregnant with a DS. I was scheduled for an elective section with her and repeatedly told the midwife and obstetrician I didn’t think I’d get to the 39+5 they booked me in for (for many reasons). I went into labour naturally at 38w, had a horrid EMCS and then got sepsis afterwards.

This time round I need to be able to plan as much as possible to ensure I can have help afterwards and get to the hospital, drop DD at childcare etc. They are saying they won’t book a section earlier than 39w but I have all the same issues I had with DD (LGA baby, anaemia, heart murmur, SPD, GBS +, recurrent UTIs and highish blood pressure)

I'm pretty sure labour will start spontaneously at 38w ish so while I know there’s slightly higher risks with a section before 39w that’s no good if can’t get to 39w? Does anyone know why they’re being so dogmatic and this will end in an EMCS anyway?

Are there ANY circumstances they’d do a section between 37-38w for social reasons with a history of late preterm birth?

I’ve had two electives and was told with both that they would be after 39 weeks and if I went into labour beforehand it was just too bad.

The only time I’ve heard of non emergency cesareans before 39 weeks has been for twin pregnancies but someone might be able to advise different. Good luck!

Previous poster is correct, elective c sections are done after 39 weeks, if you go into labour before that then it is just tough really. To be a bit blunt, the hospital don’t care about the social factors e.g. childcare and organising help because their ONLY concern is doing what is best & safest for your baby and all of the evidence is that it is safest to do section after 39 weeks.

There's a higher risk of nicu admission for sections before 39 weeks. If you do labour before then, you'll be given steroid injections for the babys lungs, and will have an 'urgent' cesarean. I was booked for 39+3 and ended up in labour at 38+5, despite my first being 11 days late. Babies come when they like, so even with all the best planning in the world, you cant plan it to the nth degree. People will help when it comes down to the wire, even if they werent the originally planned help!

They won’t do an elective section until 39 weeks unless there are serious risks/concerns about you or baby. The longer your baby is in your body the better. Just because you went into labour naturally at 38 weeks last time doesn’t mean you will go into labour naturally at the same time again. You’ve got no chance of them agreeing to a c section at 37 weeks for “social reasons”.

All about the lung maturity. Stick with the date and if you do go in to labour earlier they will get you in for surgery earlier.

I had elcs booked for our youngest bang on 39wk as she was big and I was worried my scar from twins elcs wouldn't cope. She decided to come the day before elcs and they got me in surgery 7 hours after confirming active labour (had a more urgent emcs before me). My scar did rupture as she was 10lb15oz and I lost 1.6ltr of blood so felt pretty rubbish, I was in more pain than with the twins cs but recovered fine.

Good luck

I don’t know the answer but people saying if you go into labour sooner it’s just tough…my hospital always said that if I went into labour sooner they would still do the c-section asap - I wouldn’t have to labour (unless it was one of those one hour labour and the baby’s out type of births).

They do it with twins all the time, so I can’t see why it’s so bad with a single.

I was induced at 38 weeks with Dd (due to them needing an icu bed to be free if necessary - so it had to be planned to coincide - but in fact she didn’t need icu). It didn’t affect her at all.

If you’re someone who needs that security/ predictability as well, your mental health isn’t nothing - leaving you really anxious that the same will happen again isn’t something to be ignored.

They absolutely don't do it with twins all the time. A hospital will never do a CS before 39 weeks unless it's medically needed, because of the increased risk of breathing difficulties. A vaginal birth or induction is totally different. There's no reason to hold back on an induction after 37 weeks, because labour stimulates the baby's lungs and helps to clear them, preventing the increased risk of breathing difficulties you see with C sections before 39 weeks.

C sections are only scheduled before 39 weeks if the baby urgently needs to come out for medical reasons and there are also medical reasons against induction/vaginal birth. There's absolutely no way a medical team will risk the baby's health to make childcare easier to plan.

Yes mine too I just meant they said if you go into labour earlier it’s just too bad, you will have to come down and wait for your turn in the operating theatre - we won’t book you earlier on the off chance iyswim?

As others have said, unless there's a good medical reason for it to be earlier, it's going to be 39w. My sections were at 39+3 and 39.

If baby comes earlier, then you'll have a section earlier, they'll fit you in as soon as is practical. You won't have to have a vaginal birth but you may have to wait for a few hours in labour for the theatre to be available.

I had a planned c section at 37 and a half weeks, the worry being shoulder dislocation and gestational diabetes, but they could have done it later I suppose I don't know.

They would only induce a baby/schedule a CS earlier than advised if the baby or mother’s life was in danger - not to allow you to sort your life admin. Otherwise we could all choose our kids’ birthdays. Hopefully this birth will be easier on you OP. Get your childcare lined up asap so whoever can come and pick up your toddler at the drop of a hat.

Electives aren't booked before 39 weeks without medical reason. It doesn't seem like you have medical reason aside from the blood pressure if it turns into an issue. If you go into labour earlier, get to the hospital and you'll be on the emergency list.

I can understand birth trauma but you have to do what's safest for your baby and not what's convenient for you.

I had my second elcs at 38w due to maternal mental health (first dd was born very poorly, completely unrelated to cs). Consultant said she would book me in from 37w depending on how I was coping. So it’s definitely possible….

Term for twins is 37 weeks so that is why they are usually done earlier.

I had an elective cs at 37w 2 days kind of for social reasons.

I had already had a cs for dd and ds was breech. I would have been 38 weeks on Christmas Eve and they wanted to book me in then. I refused due to dd and being RC and my consultant agreed and booked my in for 37w 2 days. In the end I was having contractions by the time I got to hospital so he was coming then anyway

i hope you get what’s best for your dc and you, OP.

My only contribution is that my first two DC both came naturally at full term but there was 25 days difference in their gestations, for no underlying or medical reasons. One came later, one came earlier, just because. So one baby coming at 38 weeks does not mean the next one will.

My third DC then came in between the others, time in womb wise.

Babies are always in charge here.

I had elective c section at 37 weeks. Not medical reasons. Just to in and ask???

I had GD with DC3 and was offered an induction/C-section at 38w. I chose induction which ended with EMCS. DS needed antibiotics for fluid in his lungs and potential infection.

I have APS.

With my first baby I was advised that delivery would need to be at 37 weeks so I had an elective section. I changed hospitals during my second pregnancy and was told they didn’t deliver early for APS and it would be 39 weeks. I told them no it bloody wouldn’t and that I insisted on a 37 weeks delivery. I was then advised that they would deliver early on request provided I knew the risks of a delivery at 37 weeks (which I did, as well as the risk I would be taking going over that).

so in short, they might, but you will have to be very clear that it’s what you want, and be aware of your personal risks.

I had a cs with ds2 at 38 weeks as I requested one and they gave me steroid injections beforehand and with ds3 I had a cs at 36 weeks as I’d had multiple episodes of reduced movement and I developed overnight a total inability to walk so they decided I needed him delivered so they could work out what was wrong with me

I've had elective sections at 37 and 38 weeks, both of them for medical reasons connected with the baby's safety and my mental health.

I also had elective sections at 37 and 38 weeks. I was told if I went into labour naturally to go to the hospital and they'd do the section asap as an emergency. I would have been a basket case if I had been told I couldn't have a section of I went into labour.