Induction Canceled

jjmac

Saw my dr today for my weekly appointment and because my platelets went from 119 to 138 last week and are holding currently at 130 she canceled my induction for next week because there is no medical reason now to do it.

We're playing it by ear. I have another blood draw on the 27th to see where my platelets are at. If they do suddenly drop we'll do an induction, however I think we're both happy not to do it right now as I am only about 1/2cm dialated. I'd like to give my body some time to prepare naturally to have LO.

She took me out of work though because I drive 54 miles round trip every day and we're required to work 10 hours every day right now due to over time and switching servers.

I'm glad I get more time for LO to cook and I'm glad I'm no longer working, but I'm so tired of being pregnant lol I think I'll be looking into getting a massage this week and my mom will be in town so we'll be doing a lot of walking to try to help dialate.

snowkiwi

Hey - this is great news! You are the 2nd person now that I know has had an increase in platelet count late in pregnancy when most Drs generally predict a further decrease in 3rd Tri. I've been having monthly checks since 12 weeks, and when I went for my 32 week blood draw mine had gone from 131 to 162. I am super-happy that they have decided to let your LO progress naturally, and I hope your platelets stay where they are

jjmac

I joked with the hematologist last week that my blood must have been switched when she told me how high they went. 119 to 138 in a week in a half just didn't seem normal to me lol Then again today at 130, which they are still dropping, but not at a level of concern anymore and I'm honestly not doing anything differently to explain this sudden rise.

Totally glad LO gets to cook longer, so happy my dr understood my frustration with work and was able to take me out for the remainder of my pregnancy which honestly shocked me. She is very anti chiropractor, anti anything holistic, but I think she knew I had been thru enough and I was honestly done and just needed the rest.

So we'll see on Monday what her plans are as far as going to 40 or over and then on Thursday what the next draw is.

jenb_99

Interesting. My doctor told me yesterday that my CBC came back showing low platelets, but she didn't say what the level was, just that I was "over a hundred" (I assume a hundred thousand) and would still be allowed an epidural if they stayed that way. No mention of induction.

Why would yours want to induce? Inductions are hard on mom and baby. It seems that would be more dangerous than allowing you to go into labor naturally. Just curious.

jjmac

jenbarker99:

Why would yours want to induce? Inductions are hard on mom and baby. It seems that would be more dangerous than allowing you to go into labor naturally. Just curious.

I've been high risk my entire pregnancy, this was just the icing on the cake. My platelets have been extremely low since 2nd tri and we've been testing once a week to get a trend and they continued to drop every time we tested. Dr wanted to have control over things such as pain management, making sure I wasn't pre-e or at risk of getting HELLP Sydrome and because my platelets continued to drop up until last week she wasn't going to let me go past 38 weeks. Now that they're up and they're staying up she canceled the induction.

She is not one to induce just because and she is not one to give a csection just because so I am thankful she canceled it.

ETA: I was not going to labor and give birth naturally, I had planned this whole time to have an epi unless I walked in that hospital and it was too late to get the epi, but honestly how likely is that to happen to a FTM. If you're platelets are below a certain level you cannot receive an epi at all.

jenb_99

jjmac:

jenbarker99:

Why would yours want to induce? Inductions are hard on mom and baby. It seems that would be more dangerous than allowing you to go into labor naturally. Just curious.

I've been high risk my entire pregnancy, this was just the icing on the cake. My platelets have been extremely low since 2nd tri and we've been testing once a week to get a trend and they continued to drop every time we tested. Dr wanted to have control over things such as pain management, making sure I wasn't pre-e or at risk of getting HELLP Sydrome and because my platelets continued to drop up until last week she wasn't going to let me go past 38 weeks. Now that they're up and they're staying up she canceled the induction.

She is not one to induce just because and she is not one to give a csection just because so I am thankful she canceled it.

ETA: I was not going to labor and give birth naturally, I had planned this whole time to have an epi unless I walked in that hospital and it was too late to get the epi, but honestly how likely is that to happen to a FTM. If you're platelets are below a certain level you cannot receive an epi at all.

Ah, gotcha. So the induction wasn't scheduled just because of the platelets. Thanks for explaining!

littlewinnie15

jenbarker99:

jjmac:

jenbarker99:

Why would yours want to induce? Inductions are hard on mom and baby. It seems that would be more dangerous than allowing you to go into labor naturally. Just curious.

I've been high risk my entire pregnancy, this was just the icing on the cake. My platelets have been extremely low since 2nd tri and we've been testing once a week to get a trend and they continued to drop every time we tested. Dr wanted to have control over things such as pain management, making sure I wasn't pre-e or at risk of getting HELLP Sydrome and because my platelets continued to drop up until last week she wasn't going to let me go past 38 weeks. Now that they're up and they're staying up she canceled the induction.

She is not one to induce just because and she is not one to give a csection just because so I am thankful she canceled it.

ETA: I was not going to labor and give birth naturally, I had planned this whole time to have an epi unless I walked in that hospital and it was too late to get the epi, but honestly how likely is that to happen to a FTM. If you're platelets are below a certain level you cannot receive an epi at all.

Ah, gotcha. So the induction wasn't scheduled just because of the platelets. Thanks for explaining!

To add to this, inductions can happen solely due to low platelets. Low platelets are very serious, as it becomes a risk for hemorrhage. Some doctors do not allow an epi when you are below 100, and if you need a c-section when your platelets are too low you'd need to go under general anesthesia.

Platelets below 100 can be a symptom of HELLP as well, which is extremely serious. And, because the reason for low platelets is often extremely hard to determine, it can be difficult to know why it's happening and if it's the type of ITP that can affect the baby's platelets.

It's not a surprise to me that your doctor wanted to induce at just over 100. I am at 129 right now, and have been told that if they drop by 15% or more (or go below 100), the will attempt to increase with steroids or induce immediately.

OP, I actually learned from my doctor that lab work for platelet count actually has a margin of error of 15%. So, I'm actually not surprised at your fluctuation - it is pretty close to within the 15% margin of error. Hopefully they keep going up for you! Or, at least stay stable! Have they mentioned trying steroids to increase your count?

jjmac

littlewinnie15:

jenbarker99:

jjmac:

jenbarker99:

Why would yours want to induce? Inductions are hard on mom and baby. It seems that would be more dangerous than allowing you to go into labor naturally. Just curious.

I've been high risk my entire pregnancy, this was just the icing on the cake. My platelets have been extremely low since 2nd tri and we've been testing once a week to get a trend and they continued to drop every time we tested. Dr wanted to have control over things such as pain management, making sure I wasn't pre-e or at risk of getting HELLP Sydrome and because my platelets continued to drop up until last week she wasn't going to let me go past 38 weeks. Now that they're up and they're staying up she canceled the induction.

She is not one to induce just because and she is not one to give a csection just because so I am thankful she canceled it.

ETA: I was not going to labor and give birth naturally, I had planned this whole time to have an epi unless I walked in that hospital and it was too late to get the epi, but honestly how likely is that to happen to a FTM. If you're platelets are below a certain level you cannot receive an epi at all.

Ah, gotcha. So the induction wasn't scheduled just because of the platelets. Thanks for explaining!

To add to this, inductions can happen solely due to low platelets. Low platelets are very serious, as it becomes a risk for hemorrhage. Some doctors do not allow an epi when you are below 100, and if you need a c-section when your platelets are too low you'd need to go under general anesthesia.

Platelets below 100 can be a symptom of HELLP as well, which is extremely serious. And, because the reason for low platelets is often extremely hard to determine, it can be difficult to know why it's happening and if it's the type of ITP that can affect the baby's platelets.

It's not a surprise to me that your doctor wanted to induce at just over 100. I am at 129 right now, and have been told that if they drop by 15% or more (or go below 100), the will attempt to increase with steroids or induce immediately.

OP, I actually learned from my doctor that lab work for platelet count actually has a margin of error of 15%. So, I'm actually not surprised at your fluctuation - it is pretty close to within the 15% margin of error. Hopefully they keep going up for you! Or, at least stay stable! Have they mentioned trying steroids to increase your count?

 
Thank you for explaining this better lol

We'll only do steroids if they drop to 100 or less to pump me up before induction, but because the induction is not happening now we're playing it by ear.

I think the vast difference is before my OB was testing me and they were sending out my blood work to a lab. Now I see a hematologist and they do all of their lab work in the office, although the first draw was 119 I think doing it and running it in the office the same day its drawn is making a huge difference too.

As of today we'll continue weekly draws with the hematologist and just go from there. I don't think I'll be going past 40 weeks even if my platelets remain steady, but she won't induce early now because they're high enough. We scheduled my induction before they even got to 119 because every week they kept dropping, so I don't get why all of a sudden now they went up.

littlewinnie15

My experience is almost exactly the same! Except, mine went from 150s to 134 to 120s... I'm hoping they go back up, too. And, it sounds like the same game plan... steroids and induction if they get too low, but until the it's blood draws every week to monitor. I'm not seeing a hematologist, just labs every week (For me, they do them right there at the lab associated with my OB's office...which is a branch of a large general medical practice.)

I'm actually surprised at how many of us on this board have low platelets! I know it's common for a drop in pregnancy, but there are like 5 or 6 of us that have considerably low platelets. (Enough for monitoring and concern anyway...) I hope we all stay stable so our LO's get to come on their own time!! 

Maybe I'll start a weekly "low platelet" check in!! 

sarahjames9

littlewinnie15:

My experience is almost exactly the same! Except, mine went from 150s to 134 to 120s... I'm hoping they go back up, too. And, it sounds like the same game plan... steroids and induction if they get too low, but until the it's blood draws every week to monitor. I'm not seeing a hematologist, just labs every week (For me, they do them right there at the lab associated with my OB's office...which is a branch of a large general medical practice.)

I'm actually surprised at how many of us on this board have low platelets! I know it's common for a drop in pregnancy, but there are like 5 or 6 of us that have considerably low platelets. (Enough for monitoring and concern anyway...) I hope we all stay stable so our LO's get to come on their own time!! 

Maybe I'll start a weekly "low platelet" check in!! 

Haha, you totally should! I will check-in, heehee.

jb2rn

That is great news. Induction sounds terrible. I hope you can enjoy some time with your mom!

jjmac

Thanks for the support ladies. I was so scared to get the induction and thinking it would end up in a csection because my cervix was unfavorable at my last appointment, and only 1/2cm at this weeks appointment!

Sarahbear621

well i'm sorry your induction got canceled but yay for your blood count looking better.  Things get so hard when you are down to days vs weeks/ months.  Enjoy your time off work!

jenb_99

littlewinnie15:

Maybe I'll start a weekly "low platelet" check in!! 

My doctor doesn't plan to recheck mine. She just said one will be ordered when I get to L&D so the anesthesiologist will know what's up. And she only mentioned in passing that below 100k equals no epi. O_O

littlewinnie15

jenbarker99:

littlewinnie15:

Maybe I'll start a weekly "low platelet" check in!! 

My doctor doesn't plan to recheck mine. She just said one will be ordered when I get to L&D so the anesthesiologist will know what's up. And she only mentioned in passing that below 100k equals no epi. O_O

Interesting. Maybe your count was above 150, which is considered normal but is just the low end of normal? I'm surprised, if they are lower than that, that they aren't monitoring you. Like I said, it can be pretty serious. Actually, when mine came back low they sent me right to L&D to be monitored. (But, I also had another symptom of HELLP) 

It may not hurt to ask what the number was, just so you know!