Pushed for induction after growth scan

[FourOclock]

Has anyone been in this situation and can offer some advice?

I'm pregnant with my third, had my third growth scan yesterday at 39 weeks which shows baby has dropped from 50th centile to 6th centile. Other than that, baby looks great, placental blood flow is great, fluid all good etc. No other concerns. I'm having growth scans as my first was born 4th centile but this was never picked up so I wasn't induced with him.

Anyway, straight after scan I was rushed off to be induced, it was all a bit overwhelming but in the end I eventually convinced them to do a sweep and let me come home for the night and be induced tomorrow instead. Except I really really really don't want to be induced if I don't have to.

I've had two vaginal births, second was a very quick and lovely home birth. First we were in hospital for a week as I got sepsis during labour and it was hell on earth being in there. I'm stressed as soon as I'm in there, I really want to avoid birthing there.

Has anyone been in this situation and declined induction? I understand why they are recommending it but I also feel as though growth scans aren't always that accurate, the lady scanning me herself said it could be she under estimated the measurements this time and the last person over estimated them.

I just don't know what to do, I'm so tempted to just get baby out but I feel as soon as the induction process is started, I'm stuck in there and it all spirals out of my control. Am I more likely to have to stay in longer after an induced birth? I would want to just have baby and leave ASAP

Its entirely your choice. Personally I’d be asking for another scan. If placenta and cord function is fine then that’s a massive positive. But don’t allow anyone to bully you. Have a look at the pros and cons of induction. The likelihood of higher risk of interventions etc.

For scope my first daughter was supposedly IGUR and under the 5th percentile she was born via c section and was measuring on the 45th centile so massively off.

Of course it’s rushed, your baby is fully term but has had an inexplicable and large drop in growth. There’s no reason to keep them in any longer, and you can’t put your ‘lovely home birth’ before their safety. You’ve had two VBs, the induction should be straightforward and quick so there’s no reason to think you will have to stay in hospital any longer than a night. Good luck.

I agree with you

I also had growth scans bc of low Papp-a, baby fell off her growth curve around 28 weeks, but not too concerning. 36 weeks small, but ok. 38 weeks, some growth, ok to carry on. 40 weeks scan - no growth since 36 weeks. The 38 week scan was wrong, she’d indeed stopped growing for the last 4 weeks.

I was induced the next day and she was born at the 2nd percentile, all skinny and bones. But fine otherwise and fine now, has caught up in growth and height.

the scans can be wrong, but it does seem like a huge difference. You can ask for another scan right away before you decide what to do next.

if it confirms the previous one, even if the one previous to these 2 was somewhat inflated, it’s still a big difference.

they told you it can take 3-5 days bc they don’t know how your body will respond.

being on your 3rd birth I don’t think it will take that long.

I only stayed one night in hospital (and baby was only born around midnight that night), left before lunch or sometime around that. I only remember having breakfast there.

it’s a risk bc stillborn can happen even without any warning signs like reduced movement. And I know someone like that, low risk pregnancy, no growth problems, still birth 2 days before planned CS at 40 weeks. This one coudnt have been forseen. Another friend from work still blames herself for the loss of her twins bc while she noticed some reduced movements she waited until a tv show finished to go check at the hospital. I don’t think she’s to blame or would have made a difference, sometimes babies don’t move for a few hours, that’s normal, but she finds it impossible to accept nonetheless.

no one can tell you for sure a precise risk for your situation or tell you how the induction will go. You could decide for a CS, and I’m considering that now, but if I had 2 labours prior to this one, I wouldn’t.

And though my induction was horrible, i wouldn’t have taken the risk of waiting.

you”re in a better position as your body has already been through this 2, I don’t think you’ll have a hard time. But again, there are no guarantees and you need to decide in absence of any

i hope it goes easy what we you decide

I've had three inductions which have gone smoothly. Another induction planned for this one

I understand, they did the same with me. In the end I asked the midwife to reschedule the induction to give me time to think and then couldn't stop worrying about the baby and whether it would be ok so stuck with the original date.

Maybe you should imagine both scenarios and choose the one that feels right. Sending you lots of hugs and best wishes

I've had 3 inductions and all was ok. It's more the waiting about that's annoying. Never had forceps or interventions literally gas and air pessary in or waters broken and on tbe drip. Baby out in a few hours. Never needed stitches or anything either. I'm now 31 weeks and wondering if I'll have another.

This. And remember baby could actually be smaller than estimated. My LG was said to be between 9-11th centile, but was actually born on the 2nd.

I'd push to be re-scanned. My first was 6th
Centile at birth. So I had growth scans with my second.

On the second scan she'd dropped from 50th to 20th. They rescanned at a later date to confirm whether she'd drop more. Or whether she'd maintained. When rescanned she was back up to 50th. So most likely the second scan was wrong.

I wasn't anywhere near my due date. (Early 30s if I remember correctly). But I was told if she'd dropped more or placenta function wasn't where they wanted it to be. I would've been induced

I’ve had two inductions (twins and singleton). Both times no pessary, waters broken, drip and babies born within 4 hours, no stitches. With my singleton I was home the next day (I stayed in an extra day with twins but that was for the extra help, not because of the birth). And FWIW I enjoyed those labours!- they were pretty magical (maybe I just like the drugs 😉) Given it’s your third birth there’s every chance it will be reasonably straightforward. I agree with previous posters that if I were you, I wouldn’t take the risk of keeping the baby in longer at this point. In fact I was in a similar position both times and it just didn’t seem worth it to me.

They wanted to induce me due to reduced growth, I held off and his growth improved. I did however get induced at 37+3 due to pre eclampsia. Induction didn't take long and my normal sized baby was born healthy.

I had an induction at 39 weeks for the exact same reason as you. The induction did take 48 hours but I was happy to be in hospital as I was monitored every few hours to make sure baby was still ok. I was home 3.5 hours after a very straight forward labour.

I had had a scan at 37 weeks and the scan at 38 weeks suggested he hadn’t grown at all but there was no issues showing with the placenta or fluid levels. He came out weighing a pound heavier than the estimated weight at 37 weeks. The sonographer struggled to get clear images for the measurements at the 39 week scan but I accepted the hospitals decision to admit me as I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if there had been an issue with my baby.

Just coming back to update, decided to go ahead with induction on Thursday. Had the balloon catheter inserted but it fell out after five hours and didn't really do anything. Had the gel pessary and baby was born very dramatically within an hour. Definitely the most painful of all my births, very frustrating trying to be listened to, and DH almost missed the birth but all worked out in the end and glad to have baby here (and be left alone!).

Sorry to hear it didn't go as you wished but congratulations and thanks for update. Glad you are both ok.

Congratulations, happy you are both doing well.