39 Week Elective Induction?

Question

Has anyone done an elective induction at 39 weeks? Our hospital told us about the study that shows benefits to inducing at 39 weeks for mama and baby and we’re going to talk to our doctor about it next week, but was wondering if anyone has chosen this route? We have some friends who have done it this year as well.

Answer

I assume you're referring to the ARRIVE study. That study is horribly biased and flawed; I encourage you to look into the research more yourself. Hospitals are only pushing the study because it makes them more money for all these women to have unnecessary inductions plus the increase in "emergency" C-sections because of complications caused by those inductions.

Answer

Hmm not to be contrarian but everything I’ve read and heard in classes, recommends waiting for labor to start naturally. 
Induction comes with risks and increased chance of other interventions.

Answer

Every medical intervention introduces more risks. Which study did they mention, I don't believe it until I read it myself.

Answer

I’ve had two elective inductions before 40 weeks.
No medical reason.
They both went great. I also went in both times at least 3cm dilated so I wasn’t starting from 0. Made things go faster. 
Both inductions were under 12 hours, got an epidural each time.
Both positive experiences. 👍🏻

Answer

i’m doing it. last time i was induced at 40 weeks, and this time they are offering it at 39. i didn’t even hesitate or think twice 😂 i do not want to go into labor naturally personally. being induced was so nice because everything was planned and i knew what to expect. no surprises.

Answer

Here’s the insert for Pitocin, the drug they use to induce you. It says directly in the insert that it’s not suggested for elective inductions, and the second photo shows potential adverse reactions to pitocin for you and/or your baby. 
I haven’t heard of the study that talks about benefits to induce at 39 weeks, but it seems odd that it’s recommended an artificial start to labor instead of letting labor happening on its own. 
Now of course there are times and medical reasons where an induction is necessary (it wouldn’t be elective at that point) but I dont suggest being induced just to be induced.

Answer

If my little girl doesn't come before 39 weeks I have an elective induction set for 39+1. 🤷‍♀️ I don't see anything wrong with it. It's your body if you want one get one set up. I was induced with my first and it went amazing. Every birth is different for everyone. In reality being induced or not being induced there's always a chance at something going wrong.

Answer

I would try to avoid induction if not absolutely needed personally . My water broke with my first at 39 weeks and they rushed me to start Pitocin and I wish I would have told them to hold off . I wouldn’t consider my experience a terrible one but it wasn’t what I was expecting . Contractions were awful , I ended up caving to the epidural it was so bad , that made my blood pressure go down and I needed meds to raise it . Baby was in distress and her heart rate would drop with every contraction, the cord was around her neck which could be unrelated , she ended up pooping before she came out and swallowed it and fluid . They had to take her from me because he wasn’t breathing right and was blue and they had to suck the fluid out . They want to induce me again this time for being on blood thinners and I can’t decide if I want to go through  with it because I don’t want to have all that happen again. Everything  I have seen does not show any benefit for mom or baby to get induced especially for no reason . It’s normally  best to let labor naturally occur . However I have not seen the study you are referring too so I can’t compare . I personally think they try to suggest inductions because it makes them more money because once they medically intervene more interventions tend to follow . Definitely do more research before making a choice but at the end of the day it is your choice and there are many who prefer inductions and they go smoothly . All those meds also pass the placenta and go to the baby .

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I did with my first and it ended up in a C-section 
With my second I'm getting a repeat C-section next week on Thursday

Answer

If you're over 40 and have a low risk pregnancy then the study applies to you but otherwise there needs to be more research done. Regardless, I prefer being induced personally. With my first I was induced at 40 weeks bc of hypertension and it only took 12 hours on pitocin. I'll be induced again on Wednesday at 37+3 due to hypertension *again* and while I was hoping to make it to 39 weeks bc of the benefits of waiting til full term, early term babies can still be just as healthy. And honestly I'm tired of being pregnant lol. There seems to be a lot of shaming when it comes to the topic of elective inductions but it's your body and you know what's best for you so don't let anyone make you second guess yourself. Whatever you decide, I hope you have a safe and healthy delivery 💖

39 Week Elective Induction?

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