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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

IOL or elective section

13 replies

andiem · 31/05/2007 11:38

Hi just wondering what other peole would do
This is my 5th preg IVF have only one son to show for all others! He is seven. He was delivered by ventouse. Consultant has said doesn't want me to go to term so will need to be induced or have section after 38 weeks. I have very mixed emotions about it all. Would like to go into labour spontaneously but am on labetolol for high BP and am 41 so can see why they are being cautious
Cannnot decide betwen induction or c section. All people I know who have been induced have had terrible time ended up having emergency section. At the moment I feel like well might as well cut out all the crap and have a section straight away BUT I have had normal delivery and know recovery is better
any thoughts any experiences???????

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lulumama · 31/05/2007 11:41

are you being induced because of high BP? or your age? or both?

a lot will depend on how ripe you are at 38 weeks...if your body is not ready, induction could take a while, if it is , could be quick ! it is an unknown quantity !

if you feel on balance, you would like to labour, and recovery would be better, then IOL might be the way to go

you could also ask that you are not confined to bed for the duration, and are able to remain upright, active and able to move and change position during labour as that gives a better chance of vaginal delivery

Original poster

andiem · 31/05/2007 11:54

Hi lulu i think they are concerned re BP and because it is IVF and my age so all round they have decide that I am high risk
they have also said will probably need epidural to control Bp during labour this happened with my son makes the moving about bit tricky and I think in the back of my mind I know if they put the epidural in my chances of having instrumental delivery will be up

OP posts:

Klaw · 31/05/2007 12:33

This is a toughie Amdiem!

I am against induction except for valid medical reasons and it sounds like you may just fall into that category. Having had an emCS I would also be wishing you could avoid that.

Knowing that induction has the possibility of leading to traumtic intervenions and possibly CS means that I am inclined to think towards elCS (if I had that choice to make) but then others would like to take their chances with induction and hope to avoid CS....

Why do you need to deliver early? Did you lose the others close to term? Or can you look into expectant management and wait it out? What does your heart tell you?

Obviously this baby is soooo very precious to you and you want to make the best choice.

I do not ever want another section but if I had to then I would be asking for something more like 'Natural' caesarean

Eleusis · 31/05/2007 15:38

I would ask the consultant if the elevated blood pressure combined with labour/pushing makes it riskier for you than for someone with low/normal blood pressure.

I think it dependson how much you want to avoid an emergency section. If you are quite happy to go with the VBAC and then just see how it goes knowing you may end up in a section then that might be what's best for you.

But, if the consultant says the BP is a serious risk then I'd go with a planned section.

I've had two sections and I can say that the recovery is not nearly as bad as most midwives will have you believe. Especially since your older one is not a toddler.

TootyFrooty · 31/05/2007 15:45

I don't know anyone who's had a positive induction experience. I certainly didn't and ended up with an emergency section. I had a vbac for ds2. I agree with Eleusis that the recovery from a section isn't as bad as many people make out and an elective section would be much calmer than an emergency section.

Although my recovery from my vbac took longer (I was a complete mess "down below") I did feel proud of myself for having achieved a vbac. Not that that matters when your piles are killing you and every time you wee you feel like you're peeing razors....

morocco · 31/05/2007 15:54

if it were me, I think the first thing I'd do is try and get as much info from the consultant about risks, why induced at 38 weeks is being suggested etc. then I think i'd wait til 38 weeks and see how things were going, have an internal to see how everything was looking for an induction etc. then if it looked favourable, I'd give it a go (in a way, if you know you'd have an epidural, it might be pretty pain free from the beginning so if it did end in c section you wouldn't be so knackered). but if things didn't look promising for the induction I'd go ahead with the c section.
all the best

PrettyCandles · 31/05/2007 16:04

I know someone whose third baby was stillborn at term, as a result of which she insisted that her next two were induced as soon as she reached 37w. She has told me that both the induced births were good, and no tougher than her spontaneous first two births. Good PR was the key, in her opinion.

While you would still be restricted to the bed with an epidural (as far as I'm aware) and have various drips/catheters etc, you don't need to be immobile with one, nor be completely passive in the birthing process. I had a so-called mobile epidural with my first labour, drip and catheter too, but was physically able to move around on the bed, change position, and actively push the baby out.

stripeybumpsmum · 31/05/2007 16:40

There was an interesting piece on Radio 4 yesterday about rise in C section rates. The consultant said women desperately wanting vaginal birth recover quicker if they have one, women wanting cs recover quicker if they have one - moral being it seems how you view your own birth experience affects how you recover.

I had em CS with DS, and although not what I would have wanted, with support recovery was fine, I didn't feel I had a 'bad' birth experience. For this pg, priority would be 1. vaginal no intervention 2. planned cs 3. em cs following trial of labour. I can understand your worries that once you are started on a path of intervention with IOL, you are worried you will end up with CS anyway: I am with you on that one! But TBH, for me most important thing is to feel in control by getting plenty of knowledge and planning vaginal birth with the proviso I'll be ready for CS if it has to happen.

No one other than you can say what feels right to you - I am just saying there is no such thing as a good or bad birth, only a perception of a good or bad experience

hockeypuck · 31/05/2007 16:48

I understand your worries. The main thing to do is to speak to the doctors and see what they suggest. I can, like others only tell you my experiences.

I had a lengthy induction with DD. Induced at 38 weeks due to complicated history. Had 4 failed inductions (6 pessaries all in all) over the course of 3 1/2 weeks. Went into labout naturally at nearly 42 weeks and still ended up with an emergency section and was very unwell afterwards. I found it all very stressful. With DS last year, I had a perfect, lovely wonderfully calm elective c-section at 38 weeks and was home walking around the house after 48 hours. Yes recovery is longer from a section, but it is much better after a calm elective section than a rushed tense emergency one after a long induced labour. BUT, like I say that is just my experience. I hope that you are able to make a decision you are happy with and that it goes smoothly for you, it sounds like you've had a really hard time of it.

woodworm · 31/05/2007 17:09

Whatever you decide, it's important the you still feel it's your birth experience. If you opt for c-section, say whether you want music, to see the delivery, to have skin to skin contact before the cord is cut etc... Ditto for an induction, you can still make things personal, whatever the outcome. The chance of needing forceps or ventouse is higher after induction.

mears · 31/05/2007 17:19

andiem - as you have had a vaginal birth before your chance of successful induction of labour is pretty high. Women with high blood pressure actually tend to labour more quickly which is a positive for you.
Epidurals are recommended to control high blood pressure - everything depends really on how high your blood pressure is at the time of labour. If it remains controlled on labetalol you could avoid an epidural if you preferred.

If you do decide to labour and have an epidural I would suggest that you wait until you can feel your contractions, then have the epidural sited. Epidurals tend to work better that way.

If you have an epidural for labour and you do not dilate, it means that your epidural can just be 'topped up' for a caesarean section. The word 'emergency' always makes you think of a rushed procedure but in fact more often it just means that labour is not progreesing and the word emergency is used as the alternative to planned.

I myself was induced with my last 3 pregnancies due to antibody problems. The third pregnancy UI was 35 weeks and laboured with no problem.

I would go for the induction personally - you never know if you don't try. HTH.

Original poster

andiem · 31/05/2007 17:29

Thanks everybody for your views I thnik my gut feeling is to go for induction but to have a low threshold for having a section if things aren't progressing well. My worst fear is obviously fetal distress as it has been a long journey to have this one!
ta ladies

OP posts:

lulumama · 31/05/2007 18:20

andie...look at having a doula for extra emotional help, before, during and after the birth..

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