Anyone declined induction at 42 weeks?

[Sleeplessem]

Hi,

Anyone declined induction at 42 weeks for being post dates?

How did it go? Did you have a conversation with a consultant?

When did you go into spontaneous labour?

Xx

I haven’t yet (only 38 weeks) but will be declining any induction in favour of a c section if I don’t go in to spontaneous labour. I’m interested in how the process looks - I am under a consultant but not due to see her - presumably the midwife will act as the go between?

@Ameteurmum

I haven’t yet (only 38 weeks) but will be declining any induction in favour of a c section if I don’t go in to spontaneous labour. I’m interested in how the process looks - I am under a consultant but not due to see her - presumably the midwife will act as the go between?

Might vary from trust to trust but they told me the ‘policy’ is to book an appointment for 42 weeks for induction which you can cancel but then a doctor will ‘need to talk to you’ to explain the ‘risks’ and then a management plan will be come up with such as monitoring and an additional scan.

Mind if I ask @Ameteurmum why section instead? Why not wait? I was thinking the same thing about if it came to it, but the section down time or recovery time with a toddler and trying to breastfeed is putting me off. Most trusts seem to not allow birth partner for induction and I’ve been induced before and to go it alone seems incredibly cruel.

@Sleeplessem - of course - I had a late miscarriage last year and had to go through an induction of sorts. Because of the pandemic I couldn’t have anyone with me and basically had a traumatic day in hospital by myself and I just think for my own mental well-being I cannot put myself in a situation that resembles that again. I’m happy to go in to spontaneous labour as I have done previously but if it comes to a point where they are pushing an induction I will refuse. I don’t really want a section as like you I have other children to manage and I’m worried about the recovery but given the choice between that and an induction I would run to the theatre! In theory they should hear out any section requests - it would just be elective or maternal choice I guess. As an added complication I have a low pap a hormone which can potentially cause the placenta to fail (although as per all my scans and appointments there is no suggestion that will happen) so they already broached the subject of inducing me on my due date and I said no. I have a growth scan at 39+5 so if I make it to that I said I would see where we are then with regards to plan b. I know they have options where you are a low threshold for a section so they would induce but after a certain amount of hours if nothing is happening you can have a section but I am so wary of giving up my leverage because I feel as soon as I consent to it there will always be an emergency or staff shortage or other reason not to let me have the section!

@Ameteurmum I’m so sorry for you loss and that you had to go it alone! It’s incredibly inhumane and must have been so tough!

They’ll definitely comply if you say no induction id rather an elective section instead, especially as induction has double the rate of sections anyway. At the end of the day the doctors just want to control the risks and a section is probably less risky than an induction in terms of potential adverse outcomes.

I’ve had growth scans too due to my last baby being SGA (based off wrong dates) and I had an induction at term, i was lucky I avoided the cascade of interventions but I managed to have a private room, no chance of that this time with how things are looking.

Are you aware of the increased risk of stillbirth past 42 weeks? 0.11 per 1000 at 37 weeks, 3.18 per 1000 at 42.

Hi, I’m 36 weeks and have just been introduced to a fantastic Facebook group called ten months mamas U.K. There are lots of like minded people on there with advice on how to go about declining induction and keeping drs happy.

I’m sure it’s within your rights to refuse, but you’d probably have some very lengthy conversations about it and need to be clear that you’re happy with the increased risks. As a PP has said, there are greatly increased risks going past 42 weeks and a clear reason why they do suggest and induction, so healthcare staff are going to be understandably concerned about the potential implications if you do refuse.

I declined induction and had DS1 at 43 weeks, after discussing with a consultant and a bit of extra monitoring. It was a natural birth until it all went wrong and I ended up with epidural and ventouse. DS was fine, I took a battering and I’m not sure I would decline the induction if I found myself in the same position next time.

I would say it was extremely inadvisable indeed to decline induction at past 42 weeks if recommended by your medical team.

Hi, obviously wish you the very best of luck with whatever you decide, but just want to share that someone in my extended family had a stillbirth in a previously healthy normal pregnancy at 42 weeks as they were declining induction hoping to have a home birth. The odds are obviously still low (though very much increased as a previous poster said) but just so catastrophic if you fall into the unlucky portion of those odds that I would seriously advise against. I held off with my first (before this happened) and was induced at 40+12 as waters broke but labour didn’t start. But will definitely not go anywhere near that overdue this time as I am so spooked by their experience.
I would also advise looking up whether those stats you quote about inductions leading to more c-sections as I ready something from my hospital the other day that showed research showing that wasn’t true.
Would also advise checking your hospital’s policy on partner’s in induction and Labour as mine is definitely more supportive than the others you mentioned.
Also sorry to @amateurmum I miscarried last year too, but yours sounds like a particularly horrible experience and I hope you are okay.

Yeah, I have to say, not to be alarmist, but DH had a colleague who refused induction and heartbreakingly, lost the baby who would have arrived safely otherwise. I'm sure that's rare, but it can happen.

I'm of the view that medical interventions are a wondeful thing to have available and (I don't know if this is your issue) mothers shouldn't risk anything on account of feeling that it's some kind of failure if a birth is not 100% 'natural'.

I also have a family member who lost their baby post 42 weeks. I don't know why induction is seen as such a bad thing. The doctors just want the best outcomes for baby

I'm sorry, but I'm also in the situation where the only person I know to refuse induction tragically had a stillborn baby boy. I appreciate that the odds are very much still that everything will be fine at 43 weeks +, but it's not a decision I would ever make.

In my experience (3 children & also a clinician), Consultants are usually reluctant to induce without good reason. These things are done for good reason.

I’ve already checked @AutumnVibes no partners until active labour. I was induced with DD at 37 weeks and the consultant literally told me that there is double the chance of having an emergency section, around 20% compared to 10% (he did state though that a lot of those women still probably would have ended in a section in the event of spontaneous labour anyway due to fetal position/ distress etc). No my reasoning isn’t a failure or perceived failure to achieve a perfect birth it’s due to the fact that I’ve been induced before and was mistreated and mentally I cannot hack the induction process alone.

I’m aware that there are increased risks after 42 weeks but there are also risks to an induction that aren’t sufficiently explained to women (at least in my experience). I’ve done some research and reading from reputable sources and the risk of still birth is comparable at 38 weeks v 42. I may feel differently if the hospital had a different policy for birth partners or outpatient induction but they don’t, and I was mistreated during my first induction and coerced into having it when there was no clinical need except for an arbitrary adherence to out of date clinical guidelines.

Interventions are wonderful if necessary but I’d be much happier with additional scans that check the flood flow to and from the placenta and then if something is amiss can act accordingly.

I know had a friend that had a still birth at 37 weeks too, awful but unfortunately sometimes these things happen, and she was following medical guidelines to have a planned section at 38 weeks x

@bluetowers

I also have a family member who lost their baby post 42 weeks. I don't know why induction is seen as such a bad thing. The doctors just want the best outcomes for baby

Well @bluetowers from personal experience I can tell you it’s more painful and you are more likely to have further interventions. I consider myself v lucky that I avoided that with my first. However I was treated horribly during it and without a birth partner, it’s not something I’m willing to go through again. I was coerced into my first induction and told I was not allowed to go to term based on an outdated guidelines that now advises against induction at 37 weeks, so that’s why it’s not my choice here.

You can make yours and I can make mine. I don’t wish to be convinced either way just to hear from other ladies who have declined in a relatively low risk pregnancy and what their delivery experience has been, it’s seldom talked about.

Going to have to agree to disagree there @CoffeeRunner

My situation is more to refuse an induction at any time in favour of a section. I would not want to go past 40/41 weeks - mostly because of proximity to Christmas and the increase of stress that will cause me!

I was induced with DS at about 2 weeks over. He was 11lbs6 , got mild shoulder dyst whatsit on the way out, and required forceps delivery. Wish they’d induced me sooner. He’s fine, but i sustained various long term injuries. Apparently they can put on half a Ilb a week at that stage. Whatever research you’ve done, I bet the consultant has done more.

There’s no need to be condescending

An induction at 42 weeks is completely different from an induction at 37 weeks for many different reasons. Obstetric decisions are really complex but not in a million years would I refuse getting the baby out at 42/40- the risk is too big and the induction would be much more likely to be straight forward- the baby is fully ready and just needs a little nudge
I hate the rise in inductions and sections and often think people are a bit twitchy to get the baby out ASAP but in this case there is no question on the evidence (and I am not an obstetrician so may not see the full picture but one of my best friends is and being medical we talk about it a fair amount)

I’d rather have an induction and possibly a forceps or emergency section than risk the life of my unborn child.

@DaftVader42

I was induced with DS at about 2 weeks over. He was 11lbs6 , got mild shoulder dyst whatsit on the way out, and required forceps delivery. Wish they’d induced me sooner. He’s fine, but i sustained various long term injuries. Apparently they can put on half a Ilb a week at that stage. Whatever research you’ve done, I bet the consultant has done more.

My DD was born at 42 weeks at 6lbs 12oz - it was an absolutely normal and healthy pregnancy, no growth scans or concerns about fundal height or movement, she was just naturally small and still is. So for every story about a big baby at 42 weeks, they’ll be a small one. You just don’t know and scare stories like those on here don’t help.

OP, it sounds like you’ve done your research and are making an informed decision. Luckily my LO came naturally in the end, and I had a wonderful home birth, but I had already declined an induction and was about to book in a c-section when I went into spontaneous labour. I wish you best wishes and hope your baby comes of his/her own accord, but if you need to have any interventions then I hope your medical team listen to you and you have a good birth, whatever that may mean for you in the end

@Mrbob

An induction at 42 weeks is completely different from an induction at 37 weeks for many different reasons. Obstetric decisions are really complex but not in a million years would I refuse getting the baby out at 42/40- the risk is too big and the induction would be much more likely to be straight forward- the baby is fully ready and just needs a little nudge I hate the rise in inductions and sections and often think people are a bit twitchy to get the baby out ASAP but in this case there is no question on the evidence (and I am not an obstetrician so may not see the full picture but one of my best friends is and being medical we talk about it a fair amount)

As in the baby and the bodies potential readiness yes, but the protocol at the hospital is the same. This is my issue. All in patient, constant monitoring, no birth partner, no movement, no MLU. (my first experience I was denied a lot of basic things because ‘I had an induction’ no water birth despite no bleeding and the facilities being there, no delayed cord clamping, no skin to skin, no golden hour, no physiological third stage… all of which wasn’t true, now I appreciate this isn’t a universal experience but it does taint my experience and trust and honestly frighten me.

There are a lot of home birth pages and groups that gloss over risks and real experience of ladies who’ve gone over, I’ve read them, they make it seem sunshine and rainbows and medical professionals = evil (slightly exaggeration but hopefully you get what I mean) hence asking on MN for some other experiences so I can really weigh up my options.

@Keyboardkaterina

I’d rather have an induction and possibly a forceps or emergency section than risk the life of my unborn child.

Then do it then

Thank you @canyoutoleratethis, I’m on the green pathway (which apparently means low risk, baby is tracking just below 50th centile which for me on my charts means an 8lb 7 baby at 42 weeks. But induction has been mentioned to me at every single appointment and with more ‘persistence’ since 36 weeks, I was even told to hurry up and get into labour..: like it’s something I can control and it’s making me quite worried based on my previous experience x