Induced at 38 weeks

[Catarinah]

Hi. To cut a a long story short I am now 36+ weeks pregnant. I have had 3 episodes of reduced movements, I have been having additional growth scans as the baby's growth is tailoring off - now on 10th percentile (just to add this is my first baby, and I am small and slim). I met with our consultant today and my BP was raised so I am having this checked again tomorrow (no other negative symptoms, protein is fine and no infections etc).
My consultant explained he's not overly concerned about each individual symptom above, but when combining them all he also doesn't want to risk going full term. He has booked me in for an induction on the day I turn 38 weeks but explained I can cancel it if I would prefer to wait. What are your thoughts on my situation from your experiences?

So whatever the dr thinks is best imho

Do it. I was induced at 37.5 weeks for GD and a big baby. With GD there is a worry that placenta will fail so they like to make sure you don't go over 40 weeks plus in my case, DD was estimated at over 10 lb at 40 weeks. As it turned out she was 8lb 11oz when born at 37.5 so that estimate was probably good.

I found the induction process fine if a little boring, did t enjoy being in hospital but it was Ok.

I had pessary inserted then just waited around and tried to sleep for 24 hrs, checked the next morning and not much progress but enough that they decided to break my waters, had to wait till 1ish for that to actually happen.

Once waters were broken everything kick started, I wandered around the outside of the hospital a bit till contractions got close together then back to the ward. A bit of gas n air near the end and baby was born at 6pm.

Well let's see. If you don't do it you have a higher chance of your baby dying. On the other hand you have a baby that is fully formed at 38 weeks and doesn't have any benefit in staying in. What is your doubt exactly?

The worry here is pre eclampsia developing, which can cause harm to you and baby. If blood pressure goes up and not monitored can cause growth problems and placenta to stop functioning.
At 38 weeks you’re term so risk vs benefit, I’d go with induction
Risks go up after due date

I'd go for the induction. I was induced because of similar growth concerns, she dropped from (estimated) 60th to 40th but by time she was born she was 17th centile. I dread to think how much weight she'd have dropped if I wasn't induced when I was.
I hope that's not scary for you - (I think estimations are often well off! She was probably smaller than they'd realised to begin with however.... maybe not.)
Baby is full term, go for the induction.

Hi sorry I don’t know how to make a thread but I’m just wondering if some could point me int the right direction as when I went and got my uterus measured to my pubic the measurements where right out so my midwife sent me for an emergency scan and my baby was measuring just above the 10th centile any way following on for that i had scan 4 weeks later and he was just following up the the 10th centile all else was fine blood flow to placenta etc I have a scan on Friday I’ll be 37 weeks just wondering if there’s any questions I should be asking

May I add just above 10th centile so on the small side

I was induced at 38 weeks exactly for GD. I wouldn't cancel if that's what the doctor has said is for you and your baby's best interest especially with the RFM.

I also went in a few times for RFM. If I got pregnant again and I got a choice to be induced at 38 weeks if baby was all measuring up fine etc I'd go for that again.
With my consultant he said they don't like to leave women who have GD go to full term. I'd go with their advice.

I would go for induction. However I would ask about how urgent it is and how quickly they would want baby out after they start you off as an induction at 38 weeks tends to be a marathon rather than a sprint. I found the Drs encouraged me to have an induction at 36 weeks when there wasn't really enough time to give it a proper chance to work. I wish I'd pushed for a c-section instead.

Ask them to check your cervix, if it is still high & very firmly closed, ask them the chance of induction working. If chances are less than 50% discuss if you would be better off opting for C section straight away, nothing worse than spending 2-3 days being induced only for it to end in emcs, you are totally shattered before the baby arrives & have to cope with recovering both from labour & surgery when if they had done section at the beginning chances are you would already be home & recovering.

@PixieDustt they haven’t said to me there going to induce me sorry I jumped on someone’s thread (sorry) I was just asking advice as iv not been told why my baby’s measuring small just above 10th centile I have another scan on Friday I’ll be 37 weeks and see me my consultant is there anything I should be asking as iv seen 2 different consultants now and they both not said why is it likely I’ll get induced early suppose I best wait till Friday buts it’s doing my head xxx

They want to induce to reduce the risk of stillborn. I hated the whole process, but my baby arrived safely. I had my waters broken and then the drip 2 hours later - if you have the drip I'd recommend an epidural, I left it too late and I regret that choice, though it was partly down to the fact I'd been up 48 hours before my
Indicting started so I was so exhausted and overwhelmed. Everyone is different though.

I'm a midwife and wouldn't have an induction lightly. However in your position, you have quite a few warning signs and I would take the induction. I would specifically be concerned about the reduced movements and the smaller baby. Both can be a sign of placental insufficiency. Take the induction. You could try some reflexology or acupuncture in the days leading up to it to try and get things moving on their own.

Thank you everyone for your words of wisdom, I think it seems the induction is the best/safest option. The consultant said that the baby's head is already quite low down for 36 weeks and is 3/5th palpable now. I also feel a lot of pressure down below and even feel a bit of protruding...so I'm hoping that's a good sign. They did say it could take days which is why they've booked it for week 38 rather than this week, he said "it's not a matter of urgency but I think waiting full term of even 42 weeks is a risk". I'm back in this morning to check my BP again as it was raised yesterday so who knows may even end up in sooner than week 38!