How long will your doctor let you go?

Mittens14

Mine doesn't have a set "rule", they evaluate each day you are overdue.  With DS, at 40wks 5days they did an ultrasound and my amniotic fluid was diminishing, so they decided to induce me at 41 weeks.

Bootsie327

In general at my practice, I think 42 weeks. For me specifically, I'm being induced on my due date if I don't have him sooner bc I'm at risk for pre-e.

kb2bkk

anniemore said:

I'm really not opposed to the 41 wk induction -- she said it was elective, but I really don't want to max out this baby inside me since I'd prefer vaginal delivery and I'm somewhat petite in frame. 

You are much more at risk for a c-section from an induction than you are because you are petite and could have a big baby.  

springbeduk2

MrsT2008 said:

I wonder too if it matters whether or not a dating u/s is done.  My OB does a dating u/s for every patient around the assumed 7 week mark, so while the due date is still obv a guess, it's a fairly good guess, so to me, it makes more sense that my office doesn't "let" you go past 42 weeks.  They told me at that point, there are high risks of placental deterioration and the risks start outweighing the benefits.

Ditto, pretty much.  My MWs also say 42 weeks is the max and gave the same explanation of risks starting to outweigh benefits at that point.  And also cited dating scans as helping establish this (as opposed to way back  when I was born at what my mother insists was about a month late).  I think that means they will want to actually schedule induction to start at 41, 5 or 41, 6 so that birth is more likely to be by 42, 0 but am not sure.  

Seeing some references to 43 weeks here is encouraging though and I might be a pain and try to stall more if LO hasn't come on her own by 41 and some days, (unless there is a problem of course) especially since I've been having weekly BPPs due to AMA for a while now and they have all been perfect scores.  But then again, when the MW explained risks going up after 42 weeks it also sounded like the changes that could endanger baby can happen fairly quickly so weekly monitoring wouldn't be enough to count on ... I guess I'd have to see if they'd go for a couple more days or more with more frequent monitoring.  

Am hoping it doesn't get to that point.  Off to read some castor oil threads now ... just in case.  

BeesKnees181

I thought this was a great question and was all prepared to have this discussion with my OB (at todays appointment), until he told me that I will be induced tomorrow morning...apparently I am going to exactly 36 weeks with my twin girls.

delatl

Mine won't let anyone go past 42 weeks. At 41, they have you come in twice that week to monitor the baby. You may also request an induction at 41 if you're just done. They also look at how your cervix is and how you'll respond to an induction. Something called a Bishop Score that ranks how an induction might go based on how thin and dilated you already are.

It's different for women 40+. I'm 39 and they will not assess me as 40+ even though I'm close, since I've had no complications this pregnancy and everything looks fine.