Has anyone else had an ivf baby to be induced at 40weeks?

[VixieB]

Hi,
Help! I’m currently 38 +3 (second pregnancy) I’ve been consultant lead throughout due to the ivf and had no issues. When I last saw the consultant two weeks ago she said at 38 weeks I was to start having sweeps and then to be booked for induction on my due date at 40 weeks. I had an awful experience with my first pregnancy with failed induction which then lead too C section (I had developed pre-eclampsia) and ended up with infection afterwards and a 2week stay in hospital so I really don’t want to go down that route again. I understand why it had to be done the first time due to the pre-eclampsia but this time everything is absolutely fine and I’d love to try naturally! I queried with the consultant today why she wants me induced at 40 weeks and she says we just like to be more cautious with IVF pregnancies and we don’t like you to go over as that is the length of a pregnancy! It’s nothing to do with my previous pregnancy and experience. She had agreed to let me go over 2 days but I just feel now I’ve been put on a countdown to hurry and have this baby naturally and added more pressure! Surely they wouldn’t let everyone go over 2 weeks naturally if it added such a great risk? I would hate to go against her advice and something bad happen but at the same time I’d like to at least try a week! I was just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and if I’m being unreasonable?! I understand if people say why would you want to risk anything when you’ve tried so hard for ivf pregnancy but I do know others that were allowed to go over due date when ivf.
Any advice and experience is greatly appreciated
Thanks
Vik x

When people conceive naturally the pregnancy is dated from their last period so for 2 weeks at the start they haven’t actually conceived as not ovulated until usually around week 3 in a cycle. With an ivf pregnancy they know exactly the date of conception so haven’t got that two week window. There is some research to suggest there is a higher risk of the placenta Faulk g after 40 weeks in ivf pregnancy. Hence the induction. Mine is an ivf pregnancy and I was told would be booked in induction after 38 weeks if nothing looked like it was happening. I can totally understand your concerns though after previous experience. I hope this one goes more smoothly for you

I went 2 days before my due date - but at no point did the consultant say I would be induced on my due date. They said they would allow me to go over and seemed they would induce me after a week or so overdue - if I wanted. Strange.

Aw thank-you both for replying! I keep googling different reasons and that always makes things worse, my mind is going into over drive! I presumed that may be a reason as they know the exact day of conception but she has never specifically said that she just keeps saying as it's higher risk. Also because there was no mention of induction with my first little one I couldn't understand why I have too this time. She did a sweep today and said my cervix was soft but high so I'll just keep everything crossed that it happens naturally! X

I had an ivf pregnancy and was due to be induced at 41 weeks. It was because I'd had two incidents of reduced movement and scans and measurements showed growth was really slowing (from 90th centile to 40th) so there were concerns about placenta function. I had also read some studies about placenta breakdown/failure in ivf pregnancies specifically (thought to be due to the hormones used during treatment). It was not hospital policy to induce because of ivf.

May labour started naturally 40+2. I'd had two sweeps at that point which were a bit of a waste of time. Third sweep 40+3. Fourth sweep at 40+5 broke my waters. Baby arrived after they augmented my labour because by that point I was 'done'. So I was sort of half induced...

And none of it was because of ivf. The consultant at a previous appointment said it was definitely not hospital policy to treat ivf pregnancies differently at all.

It tends to be more about age / BMI / complications than IVF pregnancy. Older mums or those with either a raised or lower than normal BMI are more likely to have placental failures in ivf pregnancy. In your case as you had preclampsia with your first and have a large age gap that in itself would be the risk factor not necessarily the IVF. Suggest you talk to your consultant again.