Declining induction at 42 weeks

[Louise2019]

Has anyone ever declined an induction at 42 weeks and gone into spontaneous labour the following week?

I’m currently 42 weeks and 3 days pregnant with an induction booked for Friday. I’m really hoping to avoid induction but as the days pass it’s looking less likely.

Does anyone have any positive stories?

Thanks

Had a friend go spontaneous between 42 & 43 with her first 2. Third one went early and fourth one she held out for as she was hoping the same as her first two but ended up being induced at 42+6 x

I had a induction with my first and only child and it honestly wasn't that bad it doesn't hurt it's just a uncomfortable feeling waters went less than 24 hours later try do plenty of walking after you've been induced xx

Honestly at that stage I'd just be induced. Lord knows the baby will be well cooked.

I had one at 42 and it was my third, he flew out and it was my quickest and easiest. He just needed a nudge along I think

It works out for most women but your odds of stillbirth go up every day and it isn't predictable by monitoring. I'd have been induced a week ago if I was you! What's more important, your birth experience or a live child?

Is there more risk of the baby pooing and ingesting meconium if you go so far over? (I don't know, just asking). If that was the case then I'd rather get the baby out.

I had my first and third on my due date. My second was induced. I didn’t find the induction to be different, but my water broke with the first two before I went into labour.

Why don’t you want to be induced?

I had an induction (24 hrs after my waters broke because labour didn’t start), I did end up having a c-section but that was because dd got stuck, not because I was induced! C-section was fine and recovery was straight forward btw.

I think the placenta starts to become less effective once it is past 42 weeks so being induced is definitely the way to go, please try not to worry.

Good luck and enjoy your new baby once they arrive!

I was induced at 42 weeks. Having known 2 ladies since who lost their babies as they were waiting for inductons I would never have done it if id known the risks and strongly urge you to be induced! My induction turned out well and im not trying to scare you but id never want you to go through that xx

My induction was planned but I never got there (emergency section- all fine) but knowing the risks of going over that far I wouldnt have had it any later.

My friend had an induction and had a wonderful birth. It took less than 6 hours from start to finish. She got 2 stitches but nurse said that essentially the stitches weren't really necessary.

Yep I did. Got to 42 + 6 and booked an induction for the next day but went into spontaneous labour that evening.

I was induced at 42 weeks, labour was fine. Placenta was failing according to midwife, I only found that out once my ds was born, so I would say book in.

Have you spoken to AIMS or NCT about it? They maybe helpful.

After a shit show of an induction, my plan for my subesequent pregnancies has been to carry naturally to 43 weeks (with daily monitoring from 42+0), and if baby is showing no signs of coming at 43+0 then I’ll be having a csection. I won’t consent to an induction again under any circumstances.

@MyBreadIsEggy I've been involved in the care of a woman having daily scanning after 42 weeks. we delivered her dead baby after no heartbeat was seen on scan - the scan 24 hours earlier had been entirely normal Placental failure at that gestation is sudden and unpredictable. You're kidding yourself if you think that scans will keep your baby safe. Reasonable to request a CS not induction, but don't wait til 43 weeks

dietcoke must have been awful for all involved.
But I’ve discussed in depth with midwives during my last pregnancy and current one, and they are happy to support me in this decision, after they’ve gone through risk factors in detail.

Another one whose placenta was failing after going a week overdue.Midwife said it was lucky they came when they did and not the next day.

I considered this, but had a look at the figures for baby survival rates over 42 weeks and decided to go for induction.

They will support you eggy bread because they have no choice, they can't force you to do anything and ultimately it is your baby at risk. Supporting you does not mean they agree with you! Yes it does effect all involved when a baby dies, especially when it could be prevented.

Could you opt for soft induction - sweep/pessary/ARM (research the pessary that your hospital uses) and have a plan at what interventions/timescale you will tolerate before c section?

What's the position/size of the baby like? A midwife told me that a poor head engagement is sometimes why babies are late they then get bigger and engagement becomes harder which is why post term inductions fail more often than pre term.

I believe the stats for > 42 week stillbirths are outdated (or they were a few years ago, they might have published more research since then).

Good luck OP.

I think majority of the posters here have missed the point of this post. The OP was not asking for advice on when to be induced but experience of spontaneous labouring between 42 and 43weeks.

Before ‘well meaning’ posters start commenting on placental function after 42weeks they should check out the latest research that came out this week on post 42week pregnancies

What's more important, your birth experience or a live child?

This. I was induced at 42 weeks with my second. It wasn't quite the "experience" I'd hoped for, but we were both alive at the end of it. And aside from the pessary to get things going, it was a natural birth with no interventions - inductions don't always lead to a cascade of them.

@mummyme87 are you going to share this research? I’m another one who was induced at 40+12 and placenta failing, I would never wait so long to be induced again.