Experiences of pregnancy going beyond 42 weeks?

[WhatIsPink]

Anyone who have gone over 42 weeks? I’m currently 41+4, while first child was born 41+6 and then second 41+4. Although very likely this one will come out in the next few days, but if not, wanted to hear anyone’s experience who actually went over 42 weeks, both how to discuss either the hospital and also research on the safety. Hospital is big on induction which I’m not too keen but 42 weeks is a mark which does get me a bit worried.

https://www.ptsduk.org/what-is-ptsd/causes-of-ptsd/post-natal-ptsd/

https://www.theo-clarke.org.uk/birth-trauma-report

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23293691.2025.2545307#abstract

All show stats clearly higher than those reported for stillbirth after 42 weeks

I had an appointment to be induced at 42+1 with my youngest and went into labour naturally the night before. Was determined to wait as long as possible because I'd had such a positive, straightforward natural birth with my older kids. It turned into a medical emergency for baby and we very nearly lost him. He is ok now thankfully, but if I had another I'd be booking a c-section as soon as I was full-term.

My cervix closed. Not sure it knew whether I was at home or in hospital. If that had happened at local midwife unit or at home I would have been transferred to hospital. Luckily I was at the hospital

I’m a risk taker but I wouldn’t risk this. Have a C section, especially if you don’t plan on any more.

That is the earliest week they will do elective c section in the UK and multiple studies have shown the baby is for all intents and purposes as good as full term at that point, and the risk of still birth increases from that point. Not significantly obviously, but it does increase with each day. I did IVF so I knew exact dates. Not sure what tangible ‘benefit’ there is to wait till baby is ready, some are never ready hence stillbirth while waiting for labour to start in the later weeks. I am all about birth choices for women being respected but I do think in some cases the rights of the baby should override the mother’s preference when there is a clear medical risk to the baby and minimal risk to the mother. Obviously a slippery slope and hard to draw the line so I understand why that doesn’t apply in practice but I don’t understand some people ignoring actual medical advice just to get the birth experience they want.

You’ve linked showing that birth trauma occurs more than stillbirth… you’ve not shown anything to suggest any reason at all why choosing to avoid induction is safer. The idea being getting pregnant is to have a live baby, you get that right?

Something a bit similar happened to me.

When i found out i was pregnant, my gut feeling was to ask for elective c section. But i was strongly discouraged and told that it wasn't a good option.

I got to 41+6 and my waters broke withoit an induction but the whole birth was very difficult, my son's heart rate kept dropping, it ended in ventouse delivery which was so traumatic. I thought my son wouldn't survive as they yanked him so hard, his poor head was all scratched and bleeding when he came out. He's also having some developmental issues and I often wonder if his birth has contributed to it.

I wish i had stuck to my guns and asked for what i believed was best for my baby.

The poster asked for experience past 42 weeks, I shared mine,I did lots of research, the induction process can be very traumatic and can cause more problems then it solves especially if the only reason being baby not arriving by a date other people have decided it should if there are no other indications of problems, if mother and baby are well then what's the rush

Also my children weren't at risk they were healthy i was healthy no pregnancy complications no indication that there was any distress to baby no reason to belive baby couldn't or wouldn't be born without an induction

Same. Absolute madness and so dangerous

Have you got the stats on the proportion of women who have a stillbirth who develop PPD and PTSD? I would hazard a guess that it is pretty high.

Such a nonsensical argument that it is better to take a risk on a dead baby because PTSD and PPD occur after induction. They also happen without.

wtaf. You’re deranged

You're talking of a sample size of one, yourself, once hospital offically medically start your labour they are forced to do whatever it takes to get the baby out by whatever means necessary, if the baby becomes stressed during this process then it leads to more intervention as once they start they won't stop

I've never said what is better for everyone. That's the difference between you and me. You're trying to coerced and scaremonger a woman into making what you think is the best decision for her. I'm just providing information.

I would be if I got PPD through birth trauma, you're right. Now im just pointing out that women with severe perinatal mental health issues including PTSD have been known to kill their babies.

I'm showing the risks to high intervention birth, risks which include trauma/PPD/PPP

I didn’t make it to 42 weeks, but almost. I really didn’t want to go through the induction and what could follow so I had an elective CS. A very good choice as it happens and as the surgeon told me afterwards. I would completely validate you not wanting to go down the induction route, but personally I would say make a decision about whether you would prefer induction or a CS rather than waiting past 42 weeks.

Also staying pregnant past 42 weeks( which isn't that accurate a date when no one knows the exact date of ovulation, fertilisation or implantation) pregnancy isn't inherently dangerous if there are no other indicators of medical emergencyb

So? It’s not particularly relevant to anything here, not all inductions end in birth trauma, not all people with birth trauma murder their babies or have mental health issues after, and the point of pregnancy isn’t to avoid birth trauma, it’s to have a live baby. Inductions can result in intervention, they can also save lives.

All hail the crunchy mamas

Personally everyone has a right to risk their lives and babies don't really have any rights until they're born. If people die then so be it. Everyone knows placentas age and can stop doing their jobs, if you want to take the risk then just crack on.

You are also sharing random statements like they are fact. OP doesn’t need induction, she can choose c section. And the induction process can also go well and have no complications, just as natural birth can have huge complications resulting in birth trauma and death without intervention.

Baby can absolutely still be perfectly safe inside and born safely past 42 weeks as this date isn't always accurate as no way to determine ovulation, conception and implantation,so ur due date is just a guess,if u and baby are otherwise healthy then pregnancy isn't inherently dangerous

And not nearly even half of babies born after 42 weeks die.

Google Baby Riley, Royal Free Hospital. I came across his story when I was pregnant. Stuck with me ever since.

As if ‘not nearly half’ is a decent stat when discussing preventable deaths. If babies aren’t left in utero past 42 weeks, 0% of them will be stillborn. The placenta can’t fail if it’s no longer in use.