38 weeks high BP and generally ill, candidate for induction?

[Holden10]

As it says in the subject im 38 weeks exactly today, my BP has been on the up for two weeks with no protein in urine but occasional findings of ketones and glucose. I constantly feel nauseous and have heartburn, tired all the time, headaches. im under more regular monitoring by midwife because of all these things. i next see the midwife tuesday at 38+3.
what i'm wondering is, is there any way she would consider a sweep at this stage? or, if high blood pressure alone without protein (ie not preeclampsia) makes me a candidate for earlier sweeps/induction so that I don't go over my due date? i'm a ftm so not sure when these things would normally happen.

thanks all!

Hmm, had similar with my first. The hospital etc were quite happy for me to sit it out and suffer. You need to be clear about what you want.

At exactly 38 weeks I had very slightly raised bp for just one reading, and a slight trace of protein. I had also had growth scans indicating the baby had a higher than average weight (these are often inaccurate, but my previous DS was 10lbs1). The hospital wanted me in every single day for monitoring. I had a 2 year old at home and my mum had already come for the day to look after him, so we asked if I could have a sweep and see if I might be a candidate for early induction. They did the sweep, lots of bloody show, found I was already 2cm dilated and booked me in for an induction that evening. DS2 was born the next day, 38+2 at 9lbs. But my case was slightly different as I would have been booked for a CS at 40ish weeks anyway.

In general, early inductions do not have great success rates, but I think it probably mostly depends how close you were to going into labour anyway. I was probably not so very far off natural labour. I'd imagine they'd be very unlikely to offer an induction without the protein present, but you could request an early sweep. From what I recall, the midwife can't give you a sweep at that stage without permission from your consultant, so you'd need to go through them.

I think it's an individual thing but they basically would be looking at risk to the baby. How high is your BP and are you being treated with medication for it? Have you had a growth scan? Tbh the generally unwell bit probably won't swing it much for them as not sure many people feel fantastic the last few wks.
I was due to be induced at 39 wks with my first as high BP bit of protein tho BP responded to meds and mainly because baby was small and growth had dropped off so at that point they thought 'better out than in'.
This time (dc3) I've been on BP meds since 21 wks when it shot up and had regular growth scans. They said even if BP stays under control they would induce me at 40 wks if baby hadn't come I guess because after that risks get higher with pre eclampsia etc. this baby is also on small side.

Maybe enquire about growth scan if BP is significantly raised as that alone can affect growth.

I had high BP that was steadily getting higher toward the end of my pregnancy. I didn't need medication for it but they gave me a sweep at 39 + 5 and induced me at 39 +6.

Hi, I was in the same situation from 36 weeks with my first. They just kept me monitored so I saw the midwife every other day for checks plus got sent to the hospital a few times to get checked out. Eventually on my due date they decided to keep me in and induce me but as I wasn't seen as an emergency and they were busy it was another 4 days until they induced me (as the 2 sweeps they did were doing nothing to budge him)

I had high blood pressure with no other symptoms in my last pregnancy. I was monitored for foetal movement once a week, put on medication to control it, given a growth scan, and induced on my due date. I think you are a candidate for induction but maybe not earlier than your due date.

Induction is tomorrow. Apparently they want him out.