Statistics for "overdue" dates anyone?

[Laughing Girl]

I'm getting pressure already from the home birth team about induction and monitoring, which is being exacerbated by the fact that I will be 42 when this baby is born.
I am happy to agree to monitoring from 39 weeks and also happy to agree to a consultation at around that time with the consultant obstetrician I have been assigned (who I have met a couple of times and is ok).
I'm also happy to birth in hospital if there is a real danger to either baby or myself, or course. Otherwise, I am determined to have my home birth, and want to find out the actual stats for the dangers of going over 40 weeks gestation, in particular with mothers of "advanced maternal age".
I birthed Isla at home when I was 40, had a speedy and uncomplicated labour and a straightforward pregnancy. This pregnancy has so far been uneventful and all is fine with baby. This obviously goes in my favour, but I sense a battle, and want to arm myself with my defence case in good time.....Can any one help me with the info I will need to make an informed and balanced decision should I begin to get serious pressure to induce?

 

[Leahmasie]

Search for "post term" in the Home & Natural Birthing section. You will find a thread started by grey_pony, and I posted some info and a link on that. Too hard to find the info again! There are also a ton of great statistics, also by age of mother I believe, on a WHO database, but I don't have the time to look for it right now! Good luck. I went to 42w6d before agreeing to an induction. I was a month shy of 35 at the time.

 

[becstar]

I have the same issue (without the age thing) and someone else said to me that really it is up to THEM to provide you with real evidence that risks are higher, not just vagueness.

 

[oread]

They started pressuring me to induce at 40 weeks but according to my research (sorry I don't remember exactly where, but its easy to find) risk doesn't actually start increasing until 42 weeks. All the women in my family always go long, so I hate that its referred to as overdue when anywhere from 38-42 weeks is "normal".