Induction at 37 weeks because of my age

[Daisypetals]

Today I saw my Dr. and asked if she thought my pregnancy would last until 40 weeks. She said that they would not let me get to 40 weeks because of my age-41 years young. I really wanted to avoid being induced, and told her and asked if there was a medical reason why they would induce at 37 or 38 weeks. She said the risks of still birth increases exponentially after 38 weeks for women my age. I trust her and will follow her guidelines, I am sad though, because I did not want to be induced. Any other older moms have the same experience, where the Dr. said inducing at 37 or 38 weeks was better for baby?

 

[Bookwrmgal]

I am 40 and will likely be induced or scheduled c-section because of my baby's size. If I didn't have a big baby with a birth defect, my dr said he would induce at 39 weeks.

 

[ssjad]

The placenta starts dying earlier when you are older. I haven't heard of it happening here, maybe just more regular monitoring. Maybe you could request this instead?

 

[zorak]

Like PP said could you ask for extra monitoring instead?

 

[Daisypetals]

Thanks all for answering... Right now they have me going in for weekly wellness ultrasounds at 30 weeks with a maternal fetal specialist. I worry about that because of the too many ultrasounds thing, but I've needed them as I've had multiple MCs and in this pregnancy I had some reduction of umbilical blood flow and too much amniotic fluid. I managed to get both back to normal by cutting out all simple carbs and sugar. I think at the next Dr. appointment with the specialist, I am going to stress how much I want my baby to grow and develop in utero before birth, and ask that she be given as much time in utero as possible before induction. The specialist is the one that will set the due date, I actually think of her more as my Dr. than my regular OB, because I see her so often.

 

[Feronia]

I hope you can request monitoring instead of an induction, especially if they're wanting to induce you as early as 37-38 weeks. The recommendations I've read have been to absolutely not induce before 39 weeks unless there is a serious medical reason. Age is emphasized too much, IMO...

 

[Bookwrmgal]

How often are you doing NST ? Mine are 2x weekly plus bi- weekly ultrasounds (soon to be weekly) and my weekly dr appt. there is no way my dr , or my specialist team, would induce me that early unless the baby was in distress or I developed preeclampsia (and I have had 2 near misses with that so far). We aren't even really officially discussing delivery plans until next week (34 weeks) because he wants a better sense of what the NST data indicates, as well as the effect of the insulin on my fluid levels.

 

[Taurus8484]

I will be 2 months shy of 41 when this baby comes and will be trying everything I can to avoid induction.

I was induced due to pre eclampsia with my DS when I was 39 and it was a horrible experience. He wasnt anywhere near ready to come and the induction didnt work and I ended up having a forceps delivery on the operating table right before they were about to do a emergency c section due to him being in distress because of the failed induction.

My Doctor hasnt brought up induction due to my age and is all for me going into a natural labour if I can.

 

[eventerjj]

My friend is 40 and she went to 40+2 and delivered a healthy girl just this morning. She had to have a c-section because she was induced and neither she nor baby took well to the tablets to help dialate. she delivered at the University of Iowa hospital, so it was not just any place that let her go over.

 

[Daisypetals]

Uhg- everyone's response really makes me NOT want to be induced even more. Everything I've read and in my heart I think letting her come naturally when she is ready is best. I do feel pressured and pushed along this path, and am so unsure because this is my first pregnancy that has ever been this far along. Bookwrmgal, I am not sure what a NST is, but so far my baby girl is very healthy, above average in growth and just doing great! I am going to talk to my Dr.'s again, but both are pretty adamant about not letting the pregnancy go to 40 weeks. I just do not know what my options are, and do not want to switch Dr,'s this late in the game. I'm praying that my little girl will want to come out naturally on her own a little early ( like 38 weeks) since she has always been ahead of schedule in her development. I'm just not sure what else I can do- I feel like I am fighting a system that is so geared towards medical interventions.

 

[seaurchin]

I am 40 and my consultant has mentioned induction at 40 wks, but I don't believe they can force an induction on you and I will push for daily placental monitoring if I go over 40 wks instead of inductipn. I had a natural drug free birth with my first, aged 38, and she arrived the eve of her due date, so I'm hoping this one will be similar, but it does stress me out a bit more this time knowing they'll be pushing for induction as soon as we hit due date!

Also, I read that it was the rate of stillborns doubles at 40 (maybe because of placenta ageing faster?), but it goes from 1 in 1000 to 2 in 1000, so from .01% chance to .02% chance. Will try and find link.

 

[Catmat]

I go to a low risk clinic, if you're 42 or younger you can go there and not need anything different then a younger person. I think there is an age you have to be too because the risk of something is high if you're too young. I am 38 this time and everything has been the same as when i was 33. Also inductions sometimes aren't terrible, at this point mine is Sunday. I was induced with my last baby and it was a relatively painless, quick, and drug free experience (2 hours). However, I am hoping that things happen naturally for you and I as that is best for your body and baby!

 

[tillyttc]

Iam 41 and they monitered me very closely scans and blood flow to baby etc was allowed to go natural water went at home and she was born 69 Min later ! But if they had said I had to be induced at 37-38 weeks then I would of said ok as like to think they know what they are doing all for our benignity and our babies . Xx

 

[tulip1975]

I had no idea this was a thing. I'm 39 but my doc has treated me normally so far. I'm not interested in induction unless it is necessary.

Is she a younger doctor? My doctor told me recently that a certain hospital has a higher c-section (and induction) rate because most of the doctors there are young and paranoid.

 

[Daisypetals]

I never thought that just my age would be a factor in induction either. Both my Dr.'s are older and quite experienced. It seems where I live induction and c-sections are so common. Most of my friends ask me if I am going to have a planned c-section-and they are younger than me. So far three of my younger friends have had babies-2 by planned c-section and one by induction. Most everyone I've talked to about it here tell me not to worry about it- just go ahead and get my baby out, better safe than sorry, and how much easier it will be to give birth to her (she's big-4 pounds at 30 weeks). I just want to go a more natural route.

 

[Cattia]

Goodness, I've never heard of this. I know four other mums who had their first babies at 40 and their second at 42 or 43 and they all had natural births, including one home birth. I guess it must depend on where you live, I think inductions seem less common in the UK. I would request monitoring too I think, 37 weeks seems quite early.

 

[Scout]

I was 46 when I delivered daughter and yes, the perinatologist wanted me induced by 38 weeks due to increased still birth from placental problems. Just so happened that my water broke at 35w1d and I had her the next day so I didn't have to decide, but had she not decided to come early herself, I would have trusted my perinatologist.

 

[Etoiles]

With my first baby I did not want to induce but did end up getting induced on my due date since he showed no signs of getting ready to come out. It was not due to my age but my slightly elevated blood pressure. I say slightly elevated since it wasn't out of control or a risky situation but my OB did tell me that people with higher blood pressure during pregnancy have a higher risk of placental problems which I guess is similar to what happens as you get older.

I did not want to go down that route but I did wait until my due date and my boy showed no signs of coming out. I asked another dr. for their opinion and they said the same thing as my OB so I took his advice. I could have ignored their advice but I figured that if something happened to the baby after ignoring my dr.'s advice I would never be able to forgive myself.

The induction did not go well since I was not ready to give birth they maxed out on the induction meds and even though my water ended up breaking (on its own!) absolutely nothing happened and I had to have a c-section 24 hours after my water broke.

This time I want to wait and see what happens but at least both my dr. and I agree - no induction this time since it was so unsuccessful and frustrating last time.

 

[mowat]

I've never heard of this. Strange how doctor's are all so different. I'm 40 and pregnant with twins. My doctor talked about inducting at 37 weeks just because I'll be in so much discomfort.

 

[Eurydice]

I had my first naturally at almost age 39 (40 + 5 days) and am about to have my second -hopefully also in the same way-- at almost 41. No one has EVER mentioned inducing me due to my age and I have never heard of this. Babies come naturally when they are ready, and interventions should be used only if actually medically necessary. 37 weeks is not even considered full term in some countries (e.g. France). Early induction often leads to a c-section because the baby is simply not ready to come out, and it can also be very painful because the hormones they use to induce are not at the pace and intensity of what your body would produce naturally. Arm yourself with information and don't let a doctor scare you into a birth experience you do not want to have.