Inductions leading to C-Sections

mamakculb · January 2016

Hey ladies, tried looking this up in the search but wasn't finding what I needed. I'm a STM and was induced with my first, and it started up my labor super fast and I delivered vaginally after about 5.5 hours of active labor.

I'm considering induction again for this baby, but I'm concerned by reading about inductions being more likely to lead to c-sections. I'm just curious what some of you ladies experienced and what was the determining factor that led to your c-section after being induced. Thanks in advance for sharing!

jeanbug12 · January 2016

I was induced and ended up with a c-section. After 24 hours of labor and 3 hours of pushing, he just wasn't coming! I think he just wasn't ready to be born yet, despite being a week late. I have now had 2 VBACS labor started naturally with them.

I feel like having had a successful induction in the past, you might be more likely to have another successful induction. But I have no evidence to back up that thought

MissMheMhe · January 2016

A close friend of mine was induced with cervidil and pitocin. She ended up having a c/s because 4 hours after starting pitocin, baby's heartbeat started to dip and the dr was concerned.
I was induced using the same process and the possibility of needing a c/s was never brought up. Believe me, it was on my mind, since my friend had just gone through it. You just never know. You just have to trust your body as well as the dr and nurses!

claireloSC · January 2016

Not me, but my sister was induced at 41 weeks for baby's arrhythmia. She was given cervadil and had no progression. Then another round of cervadil, then pitocin, and she still did not progress, so they offered her an unplanned c-section. She accepted because it had been a day or two and she was done with having contractions that hurt but didn't dilate her. I think it depends on your baby and your body, but anecdotally I've noticed moms who have already had a vaginal birth seem to have better luck with inductions.

Becky012016 · January 2016

I just had an induction and the dr thought I wouldn't be able to deliver vaginally (due to baby's head size and the small opening in my hips). He didn't tell me this until after my very short and smooth labor. So, I'd say that if your first induction went smoothly, so should your next one. Trust your body.

mamakculb · January 2016

Thank you all for your responses! I had only cervadil last time and it put me into full blown labor after only 2 hours. I didn't think about prior success being a factor in this one too. I'm not term yet so it's not an issue, just wanted some more info before my dr appt weds.

leap_frog · January 2016

My first, I was induced a week early due to "size". I wasn't dilated and the cervadil threw the baby into distress. Ended up with a c section.
But I've also been induced twice and had successful vbacs. IMO The more you are dilated the better.

babybluu · January 2016

For me I was induced at 41+3 for low fluid levels. I went in with no dilation and about 80% effaced. They did two rounds of cytotec and cervidil for 12 hours and I was only dilated to almost a 2. Then they started pitocin for about 14 hours and I only dilated one more cm. they said there was nothing else they could do and my body was just not responding so they did a c section.

maureenmce · January 2016

I was reading something the other day about how inductions after 41 weeks had a much lower c section risk than before 41. I'll try to dig up the article! But I assume it just makes sense because, as PP have indicated, inductions go better the further you're dilated and the closer you are to going into labor anyway, and you'll likely be further dilated/closer to labor the later you get. But then of course, at a certain point other risk factors come into play after 42 weeks. So it seems like between 41 and 42 weeks might be the best window?

My OB doesn't like to go much after 41 weeks and I'm still 0 cm dilated at 39 weeks and 1 day, so I'm hoping to hold out until 41 or 41 plus a couple of days for an induction, if I have to have one, and hope she either comes naturally before then, or I'll be close enough to going into labor that the induction will go smoothly.

mamabear89071516 · January 2016

Thank you for posting this! I've been googling such information all day. If I don't go into labor by Wednesday my doc will set my induction date, but I'm going to push it to 41+a few if she will let me! I just think my body knows how to do this, and unless I'm at the 42 week scary point id like to let baby and my body decide when he's born!

Latina211508 · January 2016

I asked to be induced with my second and third baby (due to their size). I was already past EDD with both. But I was put on pitocin and was in labor with both give or take 2 hours each. I think since you had a successful induction with your first this one will most likely be as well. Good luck.

jrouge12 · January 2016

No personal experience but my doctor won't induce until 42 weeks because of the chance of complications. What I've read they say the chance goes down if you're a STM, but that only applies to the mother. It can lead to problems for baby too. Including oxygen at delivery and NICU care. I keep having to explain my doctor's decision to other people who say their doctor won't let them go past 40 or 41 weeks without any real medical reason to induce. So I'm glad to see this post. I trust my doctors choice. By the time I hit 42 weeks I'll have had 4 appointments (that include 3 NSTs and an ultrasound) in two weeks to make sure baby is thriving. They said any sign baby's health starts to look worrisome they'll move up the induction date.

bella2210 · January 2016

I was induced with cytotec at 41 weeks due to low fluid levels. I wouldn't dilate but my water broke on its own after 3 rounds of the cytotec. The baby's cord was wrapped around his head and I ended up needing an emergency c section. My midwife warned me of that potential before the induction. It wasn't the medicine that caused the emergency c section, it was the low fluid levels. After my water broke, the contractions were too intense and he went into distress. Similar story to @babybluu

Knottie84607381 · January 2016

This is my fear. I'm 40+3 and had 0 dilation as of my appointment on Monday, so if nothing progresses by Friday the OB wants to induce on Sunday. It's my first time so I'm a little disappointed I won't get to get started on my own and I'm afraid it will turn into c section. It feels good knowing a date that it will all be over, but there's still a lot of uncertainty that freaks me out, and I feel like I really don't get any choice in the matter with this OB.

maureenmce · January 2016

@Knottie84607381 - Have you discussed this c section fear with your OB? I'm nearly 40 weeks and still 0 cm dilated and my OB tends to induce around 41 weeks, so she and I had a long chat about the induction process and how she handles it at my last appointment. I felt SO much better after she and I talked things through. She went over her whole process, explained that the goal is still 100% vaginal birth, and emphasized how slow and steady she will take things, starting with cervadil overnight, and then very slowly staring pitocin the next morning, if needed. She made a point of saying that there were alternatives to slow things down if it was going in a bad direction and that she was in absolutely no rush and wanted to let labor progress as naturally as possible, even with an induction. She also we could try a couple of rounds of cervadil if the first didn't take, and if the pitocin was too much for me or the baby it can always be turned down or off.

Of course, there are always risks that things can go wrong, but I genuinely did feel better about her slow and steady approach to induction, after our chat about how she goes about the process. Perhaps talking specifically about your c section fears with your doc might help you feel better too? Anyway, good luck!

babybluu · January 2016

bella2210 said:

I was induced with cytotec at 41 weeks due to low fluid levels. I wouldn't dilate but my water broke on its own after 3 rounds of the cytotec. The baby's cord was wrapped around his head and I ended up needing an emergency c section. My midwife warned me of that potential before the induction. It wasn't the medicine that caused the emergency c section, it was the low fluid levels. After my water broke, the contractions were too intense and he went into distress. Similar story to @babybluu

Wow that is similar to me. My fluid levels were so low that when the doctor broke my water literally nothing came out. Makes me question if she actually was able to break it lol. Like maybe she just thought she did? But breaking my water STILL did nothing. I'm wondering if I'm able to VBAC next baby if my body will even go into labor on its own and progress since it didn't this time.

mamabear89071516 · January 2016

I agree with @maureenmce I would have a long frank conversation with your OB. I was at my last appointment for a long time because it was the one where we talked and scheduled an induction. She was amazing and kept saying that a hospital birth isn't jail, and that I don't have to do anything they suggest. She said if I want to take things super slow and have it be a 4 day process, I could. It made me feel so much better that the words came from her, and that I'm positive she knows that I want to do this as naturally as possible.

Monkeybutt80 · January 2016

I just had this conversation with my doctor. I was induced at 41 weeks last time and apart from my first' shoulder size being an issue, my induction went smoothly and it made my water break naturally. We just scheduled another induction for this baby. My doctor and I discussed the concerns regarding the risk of a c section and she explained that because I had a successful induction last time, the risk of a c section for the second induction drastically goes down, even though the risk is still there. Good luck with your decision!

jem8407 · January 2016

I was induced at 41.5 through cervadil first which got things going but not at a regular interval. They broke my water and shortly after started pitocin. After 19.5 hours of laboring, I was 90% effaced but only at 3cm. I was exhausted from the awful contractions and my LO was sunny side up so I was having intense back labor. They allowed me to get an epidural based on what they saw around 20 hours. They tried to push more pitocin for three hours but there was no response from my body and my LO's heart was decelerating. We were given some options at which for the health of my baby, the cesarean was the right way to go. She still needed oxygen and some care after so I am confident we made the right decision. Either way, there is not much of a chance and if your body tolerated it last time, it will likely follow the same pattern.

Knottie84607381 · January 2016

@maureenmce

I had a check yesterday to see if there had been any progress, I went from 0cm to 1cm since monday, I'm still scheduled to come in Sunday night. I was able to talk more about the process so I feel more informed that way, but the problem with this practice is that its through the acutal hospital, not a private practice, so I rotate between all of about 5 OBs and midwives and its all very clinical and impersonal. I feel like I just don't get talked through and informed on anything and I've had to do all my research on my own. I havent felt consulted or treated like I can make many choices. I know I have them after reading, but I'm a timid person and never speak up much.

What are the differences in the induction drugs? They explained to me that I would come in and get a Foley bulb inserted overnight and then in the morning start pitocin. Is there a difference using cervadil or pitocin first?

claireloSC · January 2016

@Knottie84607381 Cervadil softens your cervix. Pitocin gives you contractions. Typically practices do either cervadil or the foley bulb, and then escalate to Pitocin. So hopefully the foley bulb would get you to 4cm or so, then you would start Pitocin to get contractions and start dilating the rest of the way.

maureenmce · January 2016

@Knottie84607381 - Oh, that sucks that you have to rotate through and don't feel like anyone explains things properly. As @claireloSC said, the cervix ripening has to happen first (either with cervadil, cytotec, or a foley bulb), unless you come in and are dilated far enough along that they don't need to soften your cervix and can just skip that step and start with pitocin.

Anyway, this page is not affiliated with my practice at all, but I thought it was super helpful in terms of explaining the inducing process, each potential step and what it does:

https://www.obgynnorth.com/patient_education/childbirth_preparation/our_induction_of_labor_practices

Good luck!

bella2210 · January 2016

@babybluu I was told that I was a perfect candidate for a VBAC. It was one of the first questions I asked after waking up from c section (they had to put me under general anesthesia.) Just make sure the surgeon made a horizontal incision on your uterus. I didn't even know to ask that but apparently the stomach incision can be horizontal while the uterine incision can be vertical. Anyways, I was told that the body will protect the baby and with low fluid there's a lot of pressure on the cord which can be fatal to the baby. I choose to believe that my body was protecting my LO by not dilating. Once I'm ready to go through pregnancy and labor again (hopefully a few years from now!) I'll try to VBAC. You should be a perfect candidate for the VBAC, labor is dangerous when fluid levels are low. I'm sure our bodies were just protecting our babies.

grkgdss00 · February 2016

I was induced at 41+1 (that's why I'm hanging out here instead of December). I was given cervadil and pushed me into fast hard labor in 1 hour, with 3 min long contractions. Baby wasn't tolerating it, HR kept dropping dangerously low so we decided csection was best/Safest given our situation. We wanted her out and safe!!

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