Induction at 37 weeks

TigerFan · July 2011

Looking forward to joining you all over here in about 2 months, but I do have a question for you. Was anyone else induced around 37 weeks? Did your LO have any issues at birth....breathing, feeding, keeping temp up, jaundice? My MFM likes to induce her MTHFR patients around 37 weeks as long as lungs are mature. I know that lung maturity is a huge thing, but I'm concerned that maybe there could be some other "issues" that LO might have to deal with due to being induced early.

Thanks!!!

Scout05 · July 2011

I'm homozygous MTHFR A1298C. I was on Lovenox untiil 36 weeks and then had scheduled section at 39 weeks.

FWIW, my OB/MFM team does not induce before 39 weeks unless they have to, because they feel the lungs need that time to mature. I had a Level II scan the week before so the tech could focus on her lungs and track the "breathing."

They would not have induced me at 37 weeks unless there was a pressing medical need.

xnbride · July 2011

I was induced at 38w with DS1 for medical issues. I am pretty sure that he would have come within a few days of that anyways because I was already kind of in labor (good bishop score-I was 2cm dilated and 100%effaced) and I had DS2 at 38w too spontaneously.

Anyways to answer your question, he was perfectly healthy. He got a 7,9 on his first apgars and then a 9,9 on his second one. We had a pediatric team there just in case but they seemed a bit mad that they were even there for it because he was obviously just fine and perfect.

My labor was 4 hours. He needed no interventions and we left the following day. He was 6lb 1oz and 18in long.

Good luck. I realize that a week can make a big difference and my experience is from 38w but hopefully your outcome will be similar. Page me if you have any more questions!

xnbride · July 2011

Oh sorry I kind of left something out that is kind of a big deal...

If my labor had not been so fast, I think it would have ended up a c-section because he was not handling the contractions that well. It turned out that the cord was around his neck so I think it was getting compressed. It may have also explained some of the complications that led us to do the induction in the first place. Although it is common for the cord to be around their necks, I think Ethan's cord was very tightly wound and I am very grateful for my doctor who followed her gut and did the more cautious thing by sending us to the hospital for the induction (and that is coming from me: a very crunchy natural birther ;-)

nicobean1 · July 2011

I'm homozygous MTHFR+. My OB induced at 39 weeks. Unless there's a medical emergency, the hospital would not allow an induction any earlier.

JaimieLee · July 2011

I was induced at 37 weeks, but only because my LO had a blocked bowel that was in danger of rupturing. Even given her condition, my doctor would only induce after I had an amnio at 36 weeks and the results came back positive for lung maturity. FYI - the amnio at 36 weeks hurt like hell, so be warned. All of LO's issues had to do with her pre-diagnosed medical condition, not because she was 37 weeks. I know that doesn't help much, lol. 37 weeks is full term, so in theory there should be no major issues, but there is always a risk with every delivery. That being said, I would demand an amnio to confirm lung maturity beforehand. GL!

erinkate23 · July 2011

There's been a lot of press lately about the dangers of inducing at 37 weeks. There was talk of inducing me for medical reasons, I decided to hold off a week... then my water broke at 37w1d, lol.

While a baby is technically full term at 37 weeks, due dates are an estimate and your LO might not be done cooking yet. A friend of mine had a repeat c at 37 weeks, and when her son was born he clearly needed more time. March of Dimes recommends holding off on induction until 39 weeks unless there is an immediate medical need because of the increased risk of a NICU stay.

hopingwaiting · July 2011

There's good data that 39 week babies do better than 37 week babies.

I went into labor on my own at 36 weeks. While my son was healthy (small but decent-sized, good Apgars, went home with me), he has had a number of classic preemie-related issues that he would have been at much less risk for had he cooked longer.

TigerFan · July 2011

JaimieLee:
I was induced at 37 weeks, but only because my LO had a blocked bowel that was in danger of rupturing. Even given her condition, my doctor would only induce after I had an amnio at 36 weeks and the results came back positive for lung maturity. FYI - the amnio at 36 weeks hurt like hell, so be warned. All of LO's issues had to do with her pre-diagnosed medical condition, not because she was 37 weeks. I know that doesn't help much, lol. 37 weeks is full term, so in theory there should be no major issues, but there is always a risk with every delivery. That being said, I would demand an amnio to confirm lung maturity beforehand. GL!

Oh yes,an amnio is already planned for right before 37 weeks. Sorry I should have mentioned that.

Shemico · July 2011

I wasnt induced with dd2 but I went into labour 37w1d and delivered an hour into 37w3d. She did have jandice but was otherwise perfect.

Ernie52408 · July 2011

I was induced at 37w 5 days due to PIH. DS didn't have any breathing issues, but he did have trouble nursing. I was able to work through it with a LC, but he lost 13% of his birth weight before we got him on track.

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