Can you refuse induction and opt for a caesarean instead?

[pippinleaf]

I'm 25 weeks pregnant and it's my greatest birth related fear to be induced. (Please don't tell me induction isn't so bad etc. a fear can't always be rational)

If I refuse induction and keep on going way past my due date can I continue to refuse induction and ask instead for a c-section? Of course I have no way of knowing what will happen to me at that stage but some women in this forum have said things that make me think this seems to be a possibility.

I don't want the choice to be induction or baby dies or they force me to be induced.

I refused to be induced, but really didn't want a c-section either - in fact partof the fear of being induced wad ending up with an emergency c-section.

I didn't turn up to induction appointments, had some daily monitoring and ended up giving birth after going into labour naturally, at 42 weeks and one day. It's your body, you have the right to refuse induction.

I will add though that I argued in advance about my fears not being rational etc, but in the end had some elements of induction as part of my birth (synto drip for an hour, epidural in last 2 hours), both of which I had been desperate to avoid, but which in the end after 3 days of painful labour, helped me ultimately see my birth experience as positive. I never thought I'd have said that, so try, try try to be open minded despite your fear.

marking place as I equally feel the same as you OP. I'd rather have another C sec than be induced. I felt this way with DS and was offered a sweep which thankfully worked as I was adament I didn't want pitocin, and when they tried to speed up my labour I fought them off giving it to me (lord knows how)

So can you just keep waiting for labour to start naturally if you don't want to be induced? I always thought they made you do it after a certain time!

Can I ask what about induction scares you?

Yes you can refuse any medical treatment. They probably will ask you what specifically scares you about induction. As you say, fears arent always rational. But you are a long way off to be thinking about this.

Yup I did. I was willing to have a sweep but nothing else induction wise. I had an increased risk of tearing so consultant supported my decision that I'd have a CSection rather than induction, even if I was already in labour. Baby came 3 weeks early so wasn't a problem in the end.

You have the right to refuse. If they induce you without consent that's assault.

I told my midwife I'd happily be monitored and would only be induced if there was a risk to baby if I were not.

Happily he came out when he was good and ready!

EVERY mum I know who was induced, and I know lots, ended up having an emergency caesarean and a horrendous time. I'd rather go for the planned cAesarean. That's it in a nutshell.

Sadly I have to back you up on that pippinleaf - same here, everyone ends up with an emergency Csec anyhow. It makes me just think - skip feeding my baby and I those extra drugs, causing my labour to be more painful and need more intervention when we all know you're gonna rush me into surgery at the end of that trauma...

But say that to a consultant. And find yourself referred for pyschology!

I was induced with dd2, it was awful long drawn out affair that ended in a ventouse delivery . For dd3 I didn't want that again so told them I didn't want induced if I went late but would have a cs instead and that's exactly what happened. No arguments or begging they just agreed to my request. In hindsight though I should have taken the induction as although the cs was easier on the day recovery is much much longer and I'm still having bother with my wound 4 months on. The tear was no bother after only 2 weeks. Don't be fooled into thinking cs is the easy option it is major surgery and takes a long time to get over.

I know cs isn't an easy option and I don't want one. I'd just rather have that than induction. I don't want this thread to be about merits of induction vs caesarean. I just want to know what my options are.

Is this one of those instances where despite being presented with statistics and other anecdotal evidence about good inductions, has no effect because absolutely everyone you know has had a negative experience?

FYI mine was 11 hours start to finish, no c section, only additional intervention was a couple of shots of syntocin.

Saying you've got an irrational fear of induction isn't necessarily the end of the conversation though OP. I must admit I'd probably prefer ELCS to induction myself, but if it turned out that induction were the best option for you then tackling the irrational fear might be the best approach - phobias are normally very curable.

I refused induction with Ds2 and had ELCS instead - however, this was because having been induced at 42 weeks with ds1 and all of the intervention over 48 hours failing to get me past 2cm I just felt that my body just didn't really know how to labour. On that basis trying induction just to go for section anyway seemed pointless. Having said that, ds1's birth wasn't horrific, yes it ended in section but was all very calm and for a first baby I would be open minded about trying induction. I know people who had very quick and easy births once induced. Often you only hear the horror stories. Also, induction is a process with differing levels of intervention so you could try the pessary and that might be enough to start you off without the need for the drip so making a blanket decision that all aspects of induction are out may not be the best approach. You could always try the pessary and then if that doesn't work, see how you feel about section vs further induction at that stage. I know you say you don't want the thread to be a discussion on induction vs section but a section really isn't something to be taken lightly.

It is not a choice between induction and C-section though. You can just refuse induction and wait until things happen naturally. Induction is an option you are given not an order! You might want to read a booklet called 'Inducing Labour: Making Informed Decisions' by Sara Wickham which is available from the AIMS website or on kindle on Amazon. It is very informative about the risks and benefits.

If someone needs an induction for medical reasons or opts for induction because they are overdue then they can ask for c-section. The NICE guidelines on C-section state that any pregnant woman can request one and that they should be given the pros and cons. If they still want one, then they are entitled to one. Might be that their consultant is unwilling to carry it out but then they can be assigned to one that will. NICE guidelines are considered best practice and can be cited as such to hospitals who are not following them.

You are not alone in preferring c-section over induction. The very influential obstetrician Michel Odent has stated that if an induction is needed for medical reasons then c-section would be his preferred option too.

You are perfectly entitled to refuse induction, I did and had monitoring instead. My dc3 was born 18 days late, at home in a birth pool, all nice and straightforward.
So it's straightforward to refuse induction for being overdue (beware though, when I was in hospital being monitored, I overheard the midwives putting a LOT of pressure on a first time mum to agree to an induction - completely different to my experience, I assume because I'd already had two babies. )
I was induced for my first baby, but not for being overdue and I guess that's the kind of scenario you need to know your options for - my baby was in distress and needed to come out. In those circumstances, I'm assuming that you would be entitled to request to go straight for a CS, but you might need to argue for it.
By the way, my induction was also straightforward, over in 2 hours and with just gas and air.

I refused induction and requested a C section instead. Got one, but only after three days (honestly) spent explaining to nine different HCPs why I was refusing induction (was convinced body wasn't ready to labour as no signs whatsoever at 42 weeks, and I also have problems undergoing internal exams). It was really stressful, but when they had to forceps out my son (yes, in a section!) who was well and truly wedged in, with a 38.5cm head circumference and weighing almost 10lb, the surgeon told me I'd made the right choice, and that I'd have ended up with a section anyway. I was home the next day and am almost fully recovered 4 weeks later. If you're going down this route, write out what you want to say to HCPs in advance. I wasn't prepared enough and it was stressful to say the least.

I was in the hospital waiting for an induction due to IUGR and the consultant actually came and offered me a section on the morning my induction was due to be, so I'm pretty sure it is an option depending on the hospital and the number of mums they've got in...

OP you have a right to request an elective c-section, regardless of your reasons.

In fact, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologist say that research shows a c-section to be much safer for the baby. For the mum it's much the same either way - different risks, but no safer either way.

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg132/resources/nice-publishes-updated-guidelines-on-caesarean-section

When DC2 was on his way, I asked for a c-section. He was breech and prem. The consultant started his "it's major surgery" speech, before I interrupted and said that I wasn't bothered about myself, my primary concern was my baby's well being and that I knew damn-well a c-section to be 200% safer for him than a natural birth, even before the complications we were facing!

I had the c-section and got a really horrible infection a week later. But, I wouldn't change my decision. My DS came out healthy, calm and was a very placid, happy baby.

My DC1 on the other hand was an emergency c-section after a long induced labour and came out blue, not breathing. She was a very clingy baby and still is at 4 1/2.