Would you induce before due date?

M

mumsy

Registered User
I'm nearly 38 weeks pregnant and this is my second pregnancy. At my last checkup, my doctor mentioned that I could now induce at anytime if I wanted to. I was a bit surprised to hear this, as I had always thought you wouldn't induce unless you were overdue.

I've been entertaining the idea and looking at the pros and cons of doing this, and basically the pros seem to be all for my benefit and convenience rather than the baby.

Deep down, I really hope this baby arrives early since this pregnancy is starting to take its toll on my body. I've been getting bad ligament pains in my lower abdomen and pelvic regions, and my bones are always cracking whenever I get in/out of bed. My right hand has been numb for over 2 months now with carpal tunnel syndrome. I'm also becoming increasingly fatigued but cannot nap as I have a 4 yr old to look after and no helper or other family at home.

If I wait until my EDD, I will probably end up giving birth by myself since my hubby would be looking after our first child. But if I induce just after 39 weeks, my sister in law will still be in HK to babysit for us (she's leaving to be matron of honour at a friend's wedding which was arranged over a year ago so she cannot cancel that).

I'm really don't mind being induced - my firstborn was induced although he was 10 days overdue.

Healthwise, the baby would be considered full-term and no different from someone planning an elective C-section which is usually carried out by 38 weeks.

Concerns that I've read on the internet include the baby's lungs not being mature enough and needing to spend time in ICU. Also induction before the due date may fail and result in an emergency C-section.

I'm definitely going to wait another full week before deciding, but would be grateful if anyone has been induced before their due date and can share their experience.

Thanks so much.
 
I induced one week before the due date for my second, because I have IUGR (intra-uterine growth retardation), so my babies tend to be very small. My doctor thought his growth trajectory has slowed to the point that waiting any longer might put him in danger of having to burn his (tiny) fat reserves. With my first, another doctor didn't even want to wait and took him out by c-section, so I definitely prefer getting induced than having a c-section!

At 39 weeks, the lungs should be fully mature (usually by 37 weeks) and the baby won't need to spend any time in the ICU. Of course, the bigger the baby, the more likely he'll be a strong nurser and therefore, a better sleeper. :) However, your own health is very important. Being very fatigue is also stressful for the baby as it may interfere with absorption. Maybe sending your older child to a holiday program, so that you can have some "alone" time pre- or post-newborn would give you some rest. In some Southeast Asian cultures, a woman takes a massage when she can't afford the break for a nap, so you may want to give that a try. Good luck!
 
I have consulted a midwife about the same question. One of the things that the midwife mentioned is the state of your cervix. If you try to induce before it is ready, then labour is more likely to fail to progress.
 
Unless you had a real medical problem, I would leave it in the hands of God/luck/fate.
Especially if your induction could cause a c-section - that would not be a nice experience for you. Don`t worry, you`re nearly there. This is your time to take it easy as best you can, and spend the last bit of alone time with your 4 year old.
Good luck with whatever you decide and also congratulations in advance~
 
As long as there are no medical reasons to interfere, I wouldn't. I know many doctors in HK think differently but there is a reason a child comes when it comes.

You could consider 40 weeks since that would be your due date, but agree with pp, it really depends on the state of your cervix. If favorable, it's most likely to be successful, especially if you already had a child.

I was induced with the twins at 38w2d because many doctors believe the risks outweigh the benefits in going over 38w with twins. I was already 4 1/2 cm without ever going into labor so it was a very smooth ride. They had a combined weight of 15 1/2lbs / 7kg so I know my share of being uncomfortable ...

Good luck!
 
I wouldn't, but that's just me :) I know that the last month of pregnancy isn't much fun - but I think that labour would be better if it started by itself rather than being induced. I think if I REALLY couldn't take it, I'd at least try to make it til the due date - and even if you're induced a week later, it has a better chance of being easier/smoother etc...

A lot of my friends in the US are all induced at 38 weeks. Some of them have had to have their babies in the ICU for a few days. Mostly problems with their lungs. I think it's better to wait the extra two weeks and make sure that the baby is as ready for the outside world as possible! Unless there's other medical issues of course...
 
Hi - I was induced at 39 weeks and have shared my experience below. As Sofie and others have said I think the key criteria for making the decision depends on your cervix. I was already ready to go i.e. soft and 3cm dliated and the baby was big and well developed. The placenta was starting to deterioriate so it was clear that I wasn't going to be allowed to go overdue.My doctor said he wouldn't consider an induction without the cervix being ready as it would be likely to fail. I would read up on the Bishops Score and ask how you rate on this scale to give you an idea of whether you're ready. If they suggest using pessaries to "ripen" your cervix to me this would be an indication that things aren't ready to go.

I had a good labour, they put the epidural in, broke my waters and started a very low dose syntocin drip and it all went smoothly. I do think that you have to be prepared for it to end up in a C-section as they will hold you to very conservative timescales here once they break your waters. They broke my waters at around 10am and told me if things hadn't progressed by early evening we'd most likely have to have a section. Luckily things turned out well and by 6pm I was pushing!
 
Interesting thread. I am also considering an induction to make sure that my husband is there for the delivery (travels for work) and to make sure that my helper is there to look after our toddler. I raised with my doctor and she said she would discuss when I got to 38 weeks. I was 2.5 weeks early with our son (waters broke but didn't progress fast enough so needed induction drugs to help along the process) so it is possible that I could be early again. Our son didn't need to go into ICU or anything despite being 2.5 early.

A hard decision but know how you are feeling - much harder second time around (and I am only 35 weeks along).

SB2
 
I would definitely not induce early unless for medical reasons. The baby is in the safest place
 
I was induced on my second pregnancy at 41 weeks. My cervix was not "ripe" and it ended up being a failed induction and an emergency c-section. It was not a very pleasant experience as I had 30 hours of labour before the c-section. I would suggest that you think carefully before making the decision. Sometimes the short term gain is not worth the long term pain!
 
Thanks ladies for all your replies.

I had a very smooth and quick birth when induced the first time round, so I think this did cloud my initial judgement about induction overall. Now after researching more and hearing some of your own experiences, we definitely don't want to add any unnecessary risks to the equation so we've decided to let things happen naturally. I'm sure I can hang in there a couple more weeks, and fingers crossed the little one won't keep us waiting much longer.
 
I've heard and read over and over again that it's much more painful with inductions which are more likely to become c-sections. I guess it's a personal decision, but unless medically indicated, I would leave it up to the baby to decide when she/he wanted to be born :)
 
Inductions are much more painful, back to back contractions (if getting oxytocin) and increase your risk having an epidural, as well as higher rates of cesarean. It really depends on your cervix how easily the induciton will go. If you are not close, they need to use a lot more to get it going and stay going.

I've had 2. 1 at 5 days early because it was thought the baby had IUGR (but he didnt', he was perfectly healthy) and I was no where even close to going on my own, so I had gel twice, oxytocin, morphine/gravol, laughing gas, an epidural, and an epsitomy, artificial rupture of membranes and narrowly escaped a vacuum extraction (because the OB said may as well do it and get it over with, but finally left the room and let my family doctor do her own thing, it was completely unecessary). If I hadn't been induced, he never would have been consulted to begin with. It was 36 hours start to finish, all in hosptial and I regret it. I wish I had insisted on having mroe biophysical profiles and NSt and only done it if there was a sign that the baby was in trouble. I never really did need to be induced to start with as the baby was fine.

The second time I was induced as 10 days over due, I only had cervadil, I could go home after and come back when in labor, so it was short 5 hours and went well, with no other interventions. But I regret it as well because I was starting to have show the day before so likely would have gone into labor in the next day or 2, so really why bother?


Unless there is a CLEAR medical reason I would avoid it and plan to do so with the baby I'm having now. The only thing in your situation that would change things for me, is the idea of having to go through labor all alone without your husband. I can't speak from that perspective. That is a tough spot to be in.
 
I have to add to my previous post, if my husband needed to go away close to the due date, I would totally be induced so that he could be there with me too. One of my friends had a husband in the military and they did that...
 
My husband was not allowed with me at all during my labour. Due to the induction, contractions came on very strong, very quickly and I was taken to the delivery ward very early. He was allowed to wait outside but not allowed in (public hospital POW).

I laboured all through the night with strong contractions every 3 minutes and the next morning I still had not advanced at all (not even one centimetre!). There were issues finding her heart beat and as the chord was wrapped around her neck, the contractions were distressing her so they decided to perform an emergency c-section.

It was also my son's birthday on that day so my husband was in disneyland celebrating our son's 5th birthday when our daughter was born!

Not sure what we will do when he is celebrating his 21st and she is having her 16th birthday!!
 
I know exactly what you mean nicolejoy, I know lots of people who have husbands in the airline industry who have to travel for work and cannot guarantee they will be there. It is about weighing up the risks and making a very personal decision for your own circumstances. I would not have wanted to go through my first labour without my husband there and really don't want to do it this time by myself either. Still thinking about it but will speak again with my obs about the risks. Last time around my waters broke early and although labour had started, it did not progress as fast as my obs thought safe so needed induction drugs. I had an epidural at the same time (I was always intending to have one anyway) as my obs said it was a good idea to put in the induction drugs and epi at the same time. I have heard that there is a higher chance of intervention if you are induced. I needed ventouse with my first baby but he was very big so, according to my obs, ventouse would have been required with or without the induction.
 
Just a quick update - my baby arrived naturally a few days later and my husband made it for the birth too. I had a very quick labour and birth, although this time I found the contractions just as painful as my induced birth (entonox gas didn't seem to work as well) and the pushing stage took more effort too (though probably because baby was much bigger and didn't engage until the last moments - all the nurses thought I might need a C-section because my belly was so big!).

starbucks2 - I hope everything goes well for you.
 
Congrats mumsy and thanks for the well wishes. Even though this is second time around, I am getting nervous now. 3.5 weeks to go. Hoping I am not in hospital on Christmas Day!

Hope you are settling in ok.

Best wishes
SB2
 
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