Risk only of pre eclampsia but induction recommended

[Vsh1692]

I came up as having a high risk of developing pre eclampsia after my 12 week scan and have been taking asprin ever since. I have also had a few extra growth scans and checks to make sure all is well.
I am now 30 weeks (this is my first baby), my baby is growing without issue and I feel well (no high blood pressure etc) obviously I will continue with asprin until 36 weeks as recommended and attend my scans.
However it has been recommended by a consultant that I am induced at 40 weeks. I’d really rather avoid an induction if all is well, and wondered if anyone else had been given the same advice or had any experience when flagged as a risk only without ever having had any actual symptoms or problems? Did you go on to have a natural
birth or were you induced? I will obviously discuss with my midwife when I see her next but was hoping for some real life experiences!

Hello
i was induced at 39 weeks as I developed symptoms of pre-eclampsia quite suddenly. I’m glad I agreed to it as there was a bit of an issue after my daughter was born where there was suddenly a room full of people and a lot of blood! I’m not saying that to scare you. It was dealt with quickly and I’ve had no ill effects. I’m not one to take risks so I followed their advice. Is there a reason you don’t want to be induced? I’m presuming you don’t have to decide now? It may be that things change in the next few weeks anyway so try not to overthink too much. Wishing you well x

Hi there it's a midwife. Sarah Wickham, research midwife, has written a really good book on pros and cons of induction, link to follow

https://www.sarawickham.com/iol/

Hello, mine came on over the course of a few weeks then suddenly hit with force over a 24 hour period.

Feeling very very unwell, seeing flashing lights, mammoth swelling of my hands, feet, ankles, face. Growth retardation of my baby too.

Induced and emergency c section at 36 weeks.
Teeny tiny baby of 5lbs and I’m so glad that decision was made.
Glad to have been monitored right up until that point of the decision, I was well informed, included and a big part of the planning. I took advice and was guided by the experts.

Keep an open mind and consider that things can go south quickly.
But I do 100% get why you want to keep going while you are well with nothing going on. I would feel that way too. x

I had preeclampsia discovered the day before my eldest's due date. I was induced, had an epidural and ventouse delivery. I was in high dependency and there were about 3 doctors and a midwife there when he was born. It's a serious condition. I wouldn't mess about with trying to avoid an induction.

I had high blood pressure but never pre eclampsia and they recommended I get an induction as the placenta can fail sooner in cases of controlled high BP or propensity to pre eclampsia. They said I could opt for daily monitoring if I wanted but they strongly recommended induction. I’ve had two now- one bad one and one great one so don’t get too bogged down by horror stories. They’re all different

I’m all for avoiding induction where possible but ‘just preeclampsia’ is massively dismissive of a deadly condition.

My pre-eclampsia symptoms were ignored and dismissed by my midwife team because my BP remained relatively stable. This resulted in me developing HELLP. I appreciate you don't have a diagnosis of this at the moment but please be aware how quickly it can come on and how serious it can get really quickly. At the end of the day, you need to make a decision you are happy with, with the information you have at the time. But be prepared for that to change rapidly if needed

Induced at 40/40 with your issues taken seriously is the DREAM. Grab it with both hands. My two surviving children were born after inductions at 38 weeks.

Thanks everybody for your input and experiences. Just trying to get my head around an induction being required regardless of my having symptoms or not.

Pre eclampsia can occur very so I’d take experts advice. Mine started on the same day I went into labor. Cut out salt from diet and don’t miss your aspirin tablets

I developed pre-eclampsia during labour when it started naturally at 38 weeks. No sign or even risk of it was picked up during antenatal care. Placenta started failing and a baby in distress led to an emergency C-section. My baby was on very small at 5lbs but otherwise fine. But I was in hospital for over a week until they could find the right combo to get my blood pressure under control. As others have said do not underestimate how quickly things can go very wrong. It's a very serious condition and not worth risking over idealisations of a "natural" birth. I think an induction at 40 weeks is very reasonable given the big risk.

Well even if you don’t feel any symptoms there are clearly things they can see - symptoms - signs

you want a healthy baby - nothing else matters

Can you ask about daily monitoring? I had pre eclampsia with my first and early induction.

If you have pre eclampsia your birth is normally fast ( body wants the baby out or so I was told) 1 hour of contractions and I was pushing. 4.5 hours of labour that would have been less than two if he wasn't stuck.

I understand why your not keen if you have no symptoms. Things can esculate very fast but I was in hospital. How would feel about daily monitoring? I'd not want to go too overdue with this risk. I went from feeling great at a routine midwife app to being in hospital being told to lay on my side while they beeped the consultant as they thought I'd was about to have a stroke. I was fine. I felt great. But my BP was 280/180.

Try not to worry but do think about the monitoring if you refuse the induction. Buy yourself a bp monitor and urine dips

I have had one spontaneous vaginal delivery and one induced and there wasn't a lot of difference between the two. I was induced for my health at 37 weeks with my second. I had developed liver problems, extreme fatigue and started showing signs of hellp. I had been having monitoring and bloods regularly from 31 weeks and at one point was facing an induction at 35 weeks but my liver stabilised with meds.

I wouldn't worry about it too much now you don't what is going to happen over the next 10 weeks. You might develop complications or you might deliver spontaneously before hand. At 30 weeks I was having a text book pregnancy but by 34 weeks everything had completely changed

I was the same in my first pregnancy - even with the asprin, I developed high BP at 37+6 and DD was born spontaneously at 38w. I had agreed an induction for 39w as DD1 was dropping down the growth centiles. In the end she was 5lbs 12oz so still very little for her gestational age. You dont need to make any decision just yet. Just wait and see how things progress. But 40w induction sounds pretty good, given everyone I know with BP issues was encouraged to go for 39w or earlier.

I had full blown preeclampsia in my second pregnancy and it is not pleasant at all. No symptoms at all until massive BP spike, 18 different BP meds a day to try and control it, really odd feeling, DD2 born in less than an hour (apparently common with PE). Plus it can cause all sorts of risk factors for later in life (cardiovascular issues). If you can deliver before PE comes along, it will be far better for you and baby.

You can always book it in and then speak to your team about how yours and baby's health is looking closer to the time.