What's the earliest "safest" week to deliver...

As some of you might know...I am here in Iraq. I came back earlier than planned so that I would not be leaving her either right before, or right after the twins came. I am due back about the 3rd week of October which will be her 37th week. Of course it would be "ideal" if she was able to keep them baking until I got back...but...things happen.

In your expierances...what is the earliest week to deliver in, with minimum issues? I have a guy over here that had twins born about 5 years ago at around 32 weeks and they only spent like 8 days in ICU.

I'm not paranoid (well...maybe a little). But what "week milestone" would you say is the best to reach before they are born?

 

There are no guarantee's that even if your babies are full term, they will not have to endure the NICU. Every baby is different, and it is really impossible to say. My guess would be 36 weeks plus would give you the best odds to avoid the NICU, but I know people that have had babies earlier and required no NICU and babies later that did. Best of luck!!

 

my peri said after 34 weeks they wouldn't try to stop it because if they want out she generally believes there is a reason, and most babies do well at that point.

 

Mine were born at 35w4d with no NICU time, but like Kyrstyn said, everyone is different!

 

Yeah...I guess that would have been a better question...when do they "not" try to stop it.

I know...that's what is hard. Everyone IS different. You really can't find a mean to the equation...arrghh!

Well...she goes back July 24th, and will be right over 24 weeks. No real concerns except girl has a 2 vessel cord. Not too concerned bout it now, because they are only 3 grams apart and her 2 vessels are bigger than his 3 vessels...

I HATE waiting...but then again. I am pretty sure it is MUCH worse for the woman carrying them.

 

Totally depends...

Mine were born at 31.6 weeks. We had 4 & 5 weeks of NICU. My Dr wanted me to get to 32 weeks first (the survival rate is very high for 32 weeks+) and after 34 weeks they would not stop labor- ideally they wanted 38 weeks for twins, but in our situation that was not going to happen.

If you were to see my girls you would never guess they were 3lbs at birth-it is amazing how far they all come. That said there were full term babies in NICU alongside the preemies, so I think each Dr takes it week by week.

 

At the hospital I used to work at, all babies under 34 weeks went straight to the NICU. If they were 34 weeks or more, they had to be over 4 lbs or again, straight to the NICU. We(NICU staff) attended all vag and c/s of babies 34 weeks or less. There is really no "safe" gestation... I have had many many 40 weekers in the NICU for various reasons. I would personally say 36+ weeks puts you in the safer catagory while while 37-38 weeks is really the safest bet... well, besides going full term

 

I agree. :good: I was coming back in here to say that just because they won't stop labor past 34 weeks does not mean that those babies won't go to the NICU. I don't think I have ever heard of 34 weekers going straight home without going to the NICU.

 

Yes true. My 34 weekers went to the nicu for 1 week.

 

I agree with Kyrstyn. :good:

 

Same here. I was told after 34 weeks they would not stop my labor but the ideal time is 37 weeks (since that is considered the very edge of full term)but no longer then 38 weeks. NICU time just depends on the babies but usually after 35 weeks they are ok.

 

I was told that they wouldn't stop labor at 34 weeks, but when I went into L&D at exactly 34 weeks they did stop my labor and put me on bed rest for two weeks. They were more then happy to deliver the twins at 37 weeks.

 

My singleton was 10 days overdue and still had 7 days of NICU time. So I guess you just never know.

I would much rather have a NICU stay right from the beginning though. Here if they get discharged and end up having to come back they can't go to the NICU, they have to go to the pediatric ICU and that is classified as a dirty floor. That's what I was told while mine was in the NICU, probably mostly to make me feel better but hey they're right. I'd rather a clean floor than a dirty one for a newborn. It's hard but if it happens just keep thinking it's about giving them the best possible start!

 

It depends what you mean by "safe". Around 23 weeks to survive. My doctor gave me the stat that 95% of babies born after 30 weeks survive with no long term ill effects. But a recent study suggests that even later term preemies - 35-37 weeks - have some long-term effects from being premature. I breathed a big sigh of relief getting to 30 weeks, then 32, then 34, then 36. I would have loved to make it to 38, but at 37.4 weeks my twins were healthy, no NICU time. I have a friend who had hers at 37 weeks, and they were in the NICU for at least a week and have had some gross motor delays. So, the answer is always the longer the better.

Also, I don't know your situation, but if you didn't do fertility treatments, it's always hard to know a precise due date, so they may be off a week or two and that affects outcomes.

 

Hey...thanks for all the responses. No, we didn't use any fertility treatments. She actually got prego my week back from Iraq in Feb. and only her 2nd month off the pill. I was like "really?!?!?". We decided to have kids, but thought it could take a bit...NOPE.

I was fishin for "_____ weeks is the best and safest". Of course in my mind, I was pretty sure there was no such "week"...but I tried