Have any MN'rs refused induction at 42 wks, if so what happened??

[sambo303]

Hi there - I am 40+ 2 today, MW already talking induction, which i hope to avoid in case it puts the kai bosh on my homebirth plans. MW says my placenta will stop working at 42 wks, though I thought placenta goes iffy at 43. My sister was induced and endured 55 hours of labour.

Just wondered what other MN'ers have experienced if you decided to decline induction.

thanks

NICE guidelines state that 'term' is 37-42 weeks so you are not overdue until after 42 weeks. The risk of stillbirth only increases by 1% after 40 weeks.

I went to 43+1 and was induced at that point.

In my case my body wasn't remotely preparing to give birth even at that stage, I had a very hard 48 hour labour with every step of the way being forced either manually or chemically. Placenta was very healthy. Baby was fine.

Second pregnancy: Same thing except that instead of waiting 43+ weeks to have a horrible induction I opted to be induced at 42.

I often wonder if (a) my body just doesn't do labour and if I hadn't been induced things would all have gone horribly wrong, or (b) I am naturally meant to have a longer pregnancy and my babies would have been fine and turned up eventually.

First baby was 8lb 14oz
Second baby was 9lb 7oz

So perhaps I didn't want to go much longer anyway!

What is 'expectant management'? I have never heard the phrase.

3andnomore (and oh, how I wish I had 3 right now, being 40+3 with the third who is messing me about royally at the moment...)It's my understanding that in France they start counting from date of conception rather than LMP date - so 42 weeks in UK = 40 weeks in France (I may be wrong, but that is what i have been told).
Sambo303 - with you all the way - here's hoping for movement very very soon!

Expectant management is when they monitor you closely, perhaps having the woman go in daily or every other day, to do ultrasound, check fetal heartbeat and movement, etc. (the specifics vary by hospital).

Our Hospital doesn't "let" you go more than 10 days before being induced. I wasn't having it, so ducked out of the conversation completely just avoided booking the appointment where consultants would have decided on my to-be-induced date. I also skipped a 41 week midwife appointment I just didn't want to have the pressure on about possible induction, sweeps, etc.

Anyway, I went into labour naturally at 10 days overdue, baby born next morning (exactly when he might have come, had I gone for induction). So it was brilliant decision for me to hold my ground, really kept my stress levels down.

I had decided that I would "let" them induce me at 42+4, if I went that late.

But in the UK you get 2 weeks counted before conception -- which is why it's 40 wks as expected length. It would be 38 weeks if you counted from the date of conception, and 36 weeks if you counted from the date of missed period (which frankly, is the way I think it should be done).

lljkk...it would be an utter nightmare if it was counted from last day of period...because, you see, I had longer cycles....9 days lon ger than the averaged 28 day cycle...so, they would worry even earlier...
they should be more willing to adjust by the individuals women's cycle....that would help!

ata...I have not heard of that before...so, that might explain that than...

?? You count 36 wks from day of women's expected missed period by usual cycle length, not a blanket 28-day assumption at all. So that would allow for diff lenght cycles fine.

When you ovulate not perfect, either, in that that can vary one cycle to next, would only have woman's word for what she thought, AND most women haven't a clue when they ovulated, anyway.

got you

I refused at 42 weeks (anyone would think I was committing a major crime the way the MWs and doctors reacted!), but buckled under the pressure at 42 + 3 and was induced. It failed and I ended up having a c-section. Wish I had held out just a bit longer to see what happened!