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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

40 plus mums elective section/induction

12 replies

Jomummy1013 · 13/01/2023 17:53

Hi, hoping some 40 something mums can help me with my question....
I am 41 and 6 weeks pregnant. I have three children who are 12, 9 and 7. My eldest girl who is 12 was a natural delivery, albeit it took hours and hours and was awful but I got her out naturally in the end. I was 40+6 when she was born.
My son who is 9, was an emergency section. Again, laboured for hours naturally but he was quite large and his head was big and he got stuck. They tried forceps but he would not budge so was whisked away for an emergency section. He came out in poor condition and with a black eye from the forceps :( I was 40+4 with him.
My last daughter, I chose a section, as didn't want to go through labour again and it be difficult and fruitless. They wanted me to try natural, said my chances were good, but I refused and she was delivered at 39+3 and it was so stress free and I liked knowing when I would go into hospital and be born.
I am wondering if anyone knows what my options may be for this one - if i make it to term of course as i know my age is a factor. Has anyone got any experience? I read that they likely won't let me go past my due date and do they frown on women in their 40s having natural births when they've had previous sections? I know I will find all this out if my pregnancy progresses but I am also curious. Many thanks! <3 xxxx

OP posts:

Cakecakecheese · 13/01/2023 19:14

My consultant said I'd be offered an induction at 39 weeks. In the end I got induced at 37 weeks due to pre eclampsia.

Original poster

Jomummy1013 · 13/01/2023 19:31

Cakecakecheese · 13/01/2023 19:14

My consultant said I'd be offered an induction at 39 weeks. In the end I got induced at 37 weeks due to pre eclampsia.

Thank you. I have not had pre eclampsia before. I have had problem free pregnancies. But the last time I was pregnant was 2015....x

OP posts:

lookslikeabombhitit · 13/01/2023 19:46

There's no "let". You decide what you want whether that's a section, induction or wait to go into labour.

Have a look at the aims website for information on pregnancy length Vs outcomes (mbrace studies), read the RCOG and nice guidelines regarding vbac- they should support up to vba4c. Take a look at Dr Sara Wickhams books- she covers a lot of different areas such as induction, vbac, section etc. Look up decision making tools such as BRAIN. The positive birth book by Milli Hill is also really useful in terms of talking options, risks and benefits.

It's your birth and your choice ultimately. Best of luck and congratulations! X

Original poster

Jomummy1013 · 13/01/2023 20:29

lookslikeabombhitit · 13/01/2023 19:46

There's no "let". You decide what you want whether that's a section, induction or wait to go into labour.

It's your birth and your choice ultimately. Best of luck and congratulations! X

@lookslikeabombhitit thank you for such a helpful post! I am wondering how soon they would induce me - I would prefer 37 weeks but I guess that will depend on me and baby and the circumstances. I am going to look into and read all the resources you have mentioned, super helpful xx ty x

OP posts:

RainbowPhilosophy · 15/01/2023 20:56

I'm 40 and currently 22 weeks pregnant. At my booking in appointment the midwife asked me if I'd "given any thought to how I wanted to give birth, as having had an EMCS with my son I was "eligible" for an elective section". Actually, everyone is eligible but they may take more convincing! Anyway, I opted for the elective as I'd already made the decision and tbh she didn't really say anything but I got the impression that she thought it was the right choice. Nobody has even mentioned that I should consider a VBAC once I stated that I wanted a section.

IVFbeenverylucky · 15/01/2023 21:13

I gave birth to my second 10 days before I turned 40. Due to my age I had an induction the day after my due date. I'm not sure the exact cut off, but basically because of my age I needed to be induced around my due date (I don't think they get too hung up about a day or two). Of course each hospital has it's own practices up to a point. Check what they are at your hospital, and perhaps ask about near by hospitals too if that's an option.

FoxtrotSkarloey · 15/01/2023 21:16

Hi OP, I was in a relatively similar position whilst expecting my second. I'd had an ELCS first time due to a breach baby and was signed off from that as suitable for VBAC. I was 40 yo by the time my second was due. It was bloody hard to come to a conclusion because I found no one was really advising me, they were just giving me lots of stats which made both options unappealing. Previous C section and age bring differing implications (please note I am not a medic and each trust might be different but this is what I found out):

Age: being 40 meant an increased risk of placental degradation beyond 40 weeks and therefore the advice would be to have an induction at exactly 40 weeks if I had not gone into spontaneous labour

Previous c section: having had a c section previously mean that they [my trust] wouldn't use their preferred induction methods on me, leaving only options which were (apparently) potentially less effective and more painful.

Further, the threshold for deciding to switch to an EMCS if the induction wasn't working or was working too quickly was much lower for VBAC than if no prior section.

After much agonising (and posts on here!) I decided that having had a relatively straightforward ELCS previously and knowing I didn't want to end up with an induction or EMCS, to have a second section which went well. No regrets about the decision.

All the best with whatever you decide.

FoxtrotSkarloey · 15/01/2023 21:18

Sorry, one point to add having re-read your OP. They would have been quite happy for me to try VBAC had I wished, and I certainly never got the impression there was any frowning!

catsnore · 15/01/2023 21:33

It's completely up to you. They try to persuade you to be induced in your 39th week. You can say no - I know a few older women who have gone full term and beyond and gone into labour naturally. They just worry about you developing pre-eclampsia etc. I ended up being induced age 42, on the day after my due date, due to pre-eclampsia. Labour was fast and very very intense (one other previous birth was a slow, drawn out back to back labour).

annlee3817 · 15/01/2023 23:59

I had my as second DD last August at 41, I was taken in for induction at 39 weeks due to age, excess fluid, strep B and size of baby, if it had just been age they would have let me go to term, but advised against going past my due date as age can be a risk factor as far as placenta function goes. Personally if I had my time again I would request a c section, my induction wasn't the best experience, particularly as my first DD seven years prior to that was a lovely calm natural birth at 40+5.

Starry77 · 16/01/2023 00:44

I’m 41 and currently 35+6 with second child. I have a section booked for 39+4. I’m my area they are booking all sections for the 40th week due to staffing pressures. I had an EMCS with my first age 39 at 38+6 because my waters broke before my planned section date. Both my babies have been breech hence the sections. Even with my age and being on high risk pathways my planned section date is not being brought forward.

Original poster

Jomummy1013 · 17/01/2023 18:24

Thank you all. Food for thought....xx

OP posts:

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