Has anyone ever opted to be induced early without medical reasons/history?

[mrsnlw]

Just wondered if I could opt to be induced if I don't have a reason to be - well other than being uncomfy and whatnot.

I wouldnt ask for it to happen until around 38 weeks but just wondered if you can elect for it.

Induction is not to be taken lightly. You're making your body do something before it maybe ready and usually they don't do it unless you're overdue etc.

If you are induced, you are statistically more likely to need some kind of medical management due to complications.

xSiL did and had no complications whatsoever. It was for her 2nd child though, so that may have made a difference.

Ah ok, just wondered if it was possible. Not that I would take the idea lightly at all. At the end of the day, baby will arrive when he/she is ready. Just wondered if anyone has ever requested it.

An induction before you and baby are ready is more likely to end in a Csection, which is major abdominal surgery. It has health trade offs for mum and baby too. Any reputable HCP will not induce without necessity.

Thanks for your replies, like I say, I was just curious if anyone has ever asked. I do have an existing medical condition but it shoulent interfere at all. Just have to be uncomfy for the next few weeks which in the long run, means baby will just be even MORE ready :-)

Medically, it isn't in your baby's best interests to induce early unless there are medical complications (yours, the baby's or both). So your doctors are unlikely to agree.

Sorry, cross post there.

I was induced with all three of my DCs (at 37, 39 & 38 weeks).

DC1 was for pre-eclampsia. DC2 was for high BP & ketones, which the Consultant felt was "heading towards" pre-eclampsia. DC3 was for increasingly odd blood test results - liver function was the main one, but three or four levels were "wrong and getting wronger" .

I had no complications from being induced and delivered three, thankfully, healthy babies of a decent weight with minimal intervention (no forceps, ventouse etc.) There is no way my Consultant would have induced with no reason though. I know because I asked .

I had to fight tooth and nail to get induced and that was with a severe medical condition that giving birth would stop!

I went into labour slightly early anyway without the induction but still, they won't do it lightly.

I was induced on my due date as the consultant thought the baby was very big so didn't want it growing more.

My body really wasn't ready to give birth, neither was DS ready to enter the world. It took 48hrs after first being induced to go into labour with bad painful effects from the induction drugs (equivalent to labour pains but not doing anything). Eventually they broke my waters then I had a very quick labour but DS got stuck after an hour and a half pushing, failed forceps then a crash section under general anaesthetic. The whole thing took from Wednesday to Saturday when I finally had him. Not something I'd want to repeat.

The consultant even apologised to me afterwards.

Despite that I wanted to be induced when heavily overdue with ds2 (as for me I'd rather do that than have the after effects of another section) but they refused due to a previous c section so I had another section at 16days overdue.

I wouldn't advise induction without good medical reason at all.

Good luck in your decisions.

I'm not GOING to ask.... Just wondered if anyone had asked and if the option was there - I know you read about elective c-sections and just wondered if anyone had ever asked for it.

I doubt you will get an easy time trying to persuade a dr to induce you without a medical reason.

I think that sort of scheduling happens more in the US.

Why would you want to do something that has no advantages and only disadvantages for you and your baby?

Omg is no one reading this? The poor woman was only asking, not saying she wants it!

Elective caesareans if required generally aren't carried out until after 39/40 unless medically indicated earlier, so an unnecessary IOL is highly unlikely to be performed, particularly with all the risks involved. Earliest I reckon would be 41/40 for postdates

Enaj30 Thanks for reading lol

Just curious on whether you could ask as I've not heard of it and have heard of elective sections.

As uncomfy as I might be/get, my body knows best and will decide when the time arrives.

Thanks for your replies

I know someone who did - she begged a lot, and there were some mental issues related to previous miscarriage, her age and being terrified of stillbirth related to being overdue (she wasn't overdue). She had a quite hard time, took a long time, ended up with all interventions short of C-section, although they prepped her ready and took her to theatre.

My pal in america was induced at 38 weeks for social reasons - her husband is in the army and was due to leave the country a few days afterwards. I was shocked due to all the reasons above. I understand her birth was quite difficult, but she and her family were so pleased baby's father was there.