Are your OBs saying 38 weeks is recommended?

Hi Twin Mommies,

I wondered what your OBs are telling you or have told you about the ideal time to delivery twins (assuming babies and mom are doing well). I have heard 37 and 38. My OB booked me for a C for 38 but was okay with pushing it up a bit, but I'm not sure what to do. I have heard the risks to babies go up after 38 weeks so 38 weeks exactly makes me nervous too (I'm such a worried mom already!).

 

My doctor wanted to let me go as far as I could go. None of the doctors at the practice that I saw ever said anything about there being problems beyond a certain point. I have read that though. I decided to trust my doctors, since they were the one monitoring me. I had a scheduled c/s at 39 weeks. Have you talked to your doctor about your concerns? Is he/she concerned at all?

 

My OB will let me go to full term, although he doesn't think I will make it that long!

I did some research on the topic, and posted a little while back about it and some people gave me some great links! I'm sure it would come up in the search. But basically, in all the articles I read, there are really no problem with letting twins go past 38 weeks - as long as there are no other issues.

 

With my first set of twins, my doctor said they wouldnt let a woman carrying twins go past 38 weeks. So they scheduled my c section for 38 weeks 1 day...since they didnt schedule them for sundays. With my second set of twins, i saw a different doctor...and he said he didnt like multiples to go past 37 weeks. I told him he was crazy and i wasnt delivering till at least 38 weeks. And thats exactly what happend...Lol we scheduled my c section for 38 weeks 2 days, my water broke the morning of 38 weeks exact and they were here by late that night.

But most people that ive talked to around my area say that their doctors wont let twins go past 38 weeks.... I dont know if thats a rule of thumb or paranoid doctors. *shrugs*

 

Mine said 38 weeks too. C-section scheduled for 37 weeks and 4 days.

Angela

 

My Dr.s won't go past 37 weeks with twins, they say any benefit is outweighed by potential harm to the babies and overly exhausted Mommies. As long as my babies weights are good, I'm ok with delivering at 37, and they will check.

 

My doctor said we would not even discuss scheduling my c-section until I was at least 37 weeks along. Once I hit 37 weeks, THEN we could make the appt. So if I had held out, it would have been around 38 weeks that I delivered.

 

Mine would like me to make it to the min of 35weeks with 37 ideal. No scheduling here, going for a VBAC meaning no inductions!

 

My doc does 38w+ (no earlier than 38 weeks but preferably in the 38th week). For me it was a Monday at 38w2d.

I usually post this study. It shows there is a pretty big difference in outcome between going 36-37 weeks and 38 (37-39 weeks, but the difference between 38 weeks and closer to 40 is minimal. Therefore most docs prefer to have them out in the 38 weeks since the advantages don't outweigh the risks.

Look at table 1: http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFi...vol5n2/twin.xml

I personally don't understand doctors (and moms) who get them out preterm (before 37 weeks) UNLESS there are medical issues/reasons of course.

 

My doc would have let me go 40 weeks, but no later. She said she was sure I would not make it that far though.

 

My doctor says late 37/ early 38 week is ideal.
He won't even discuss induction/ c- section before that, and prefers to let you g to 39 weeks, hoping you go naturally, before taking the babies.

 

Mine said 36 weeks and that is when my boys were born.

 

My OB does not like to let twins go past 38 weeks. He was comfortable with anything past 34 weeks, but we scheduled my c-section for 38 weeks 1 day.

 

My doctor has scheduled me for a c-section at 37 weeks and 3 days. He said it's because of there being one placenta. He says there can be more complications after 38 weeks. If I had two placentas he would let me go until 39 weeks.

Do you know if there is one placenta or two?

 

mine said a scheduled c-section at 38weeks. my old doc (complete jerk) just said as long as i could go because there was no NICU where i was delivering and they'd have to fly the babies to another hospital. HA! so nice eh?

 

MY doctor told me 38 weeks. Then at my 38 week appt..he said..lets go ONE more week. I cried. LOL

I delivered by induction at 39 weeks and 1 day. I can't believe that was 4 yrs ago...either.


One thing I will tell you mommies...ENJOY this time.


Brandy

 

My doc wasn't willing to talk about induction until I had made it to 38 weeks. However, I was induced at 37 weeks 5 days b/c my bp had climbed to 150/110 and I had protein in my urine, they wanted the babies out before I had a chance to develop pre-eclampsia.

 

My doc told me they wouldn't let me go past 37 weeks. However, my girls had other plans and were born at 33w 4d.

 

My doctor said that they did not want me to go past 38 weeks, I guess there was concern over them running out of room, and I had a scheduled c-section at 38 weeks and 1 day. Though I think if my twins had their way, they'd still be in the womb!

 

Same here, my doc wanted me to go as far as I could with the plan of no NICU time. I was scheduled for an induction in my 39th week and my water broke the day before. I was home in three days with no NICU time. I had a completely uneventful pregnancy so there was just no reason to take them early.

 

My ob always said-"let's get to 36 weeks." She said anything after that was great! So that was our goal-36 weeks. I had a contraction or two on a NST at like 33 weeks-and she thought I was going into labor any minute! LOL! Not really-but she became extra cautious, and from there on out, it was getting to another week as a goal.

When I was there at 37 weeks she said, "So much for going early." No kidding! I had my c/s scheduled for 38 weeks exactly. My boys weighed in at 6lbs13oz and 6lbs3oz. The smaller one was in the NICU for a week-they thought he had pneumonia-but they couldn't rule it out-so they had to treat him for it. Other than that-they were both born beautiful and HEALTHY!

Good luck and congrats!

 

Thanks everyone, it is good to hear all the different medical opinions out there. Mine each have their own placenta. My OB said that as long as they continue to look good on their twice weekly AFIs/NSTs (and I stay healthy) we are best to go to 38 weeks. I was a little worried because my girl's growth had fallen behind but now she is steadily gaining weight, she's just on the smaller end. Now I have a cold, so I'm hoping I don't go into labor!

 

My doc said if I haven't gone by 38 wks he will induce me. I am so uncomfortable at this point! I am not that big but I am a small person to start off with, I feel like my ribs are broken. I am 36 wks 3 days so hopefully not much longer. Good luck!

Angie

 

Early on, I had a csection date scheduled for 38 weeks and 2 days.

 

QUOTE(jenanne @ Feb 2 2008, 11:29 PM) [snapback]602748[/snapback]
Hi Twin Mommies,

I wondered what your OBs are telling you or have told you about the ideal time to delivery twins (assuming babies and mom are doing well). I have heard 37 and 38. My OB booked me for a C for 38 but was okay with pushing it up a bit, but I'm not sure what to do. I have heard the risks to babies go up after 38 weeks so 38 weeks exactly makes me nervous too (I'm such a worried mom already!).


Mine wont let me go past 38 wks; he said at 37 wks the babies are full term

 

My ob will let me go as far as I can. He does not agree with the fact that some say anything before 40 weeks if full term for twins. He says full term is full term be it one baby or two. As long as things are going well he will let me go till the babies decide they are coming

Dianna

 

My doc is planning a scheduled delivery at 37 weeks. Unknown if it will be a c-section -- we will decide closer to the date based on the babies' weight and orientation.

 

My OB said 39 weeks was better. He said that studies show that it is more dangerous to deliver the babies early. There is more chance for respiratory problems if you have them before 38 weeks. My OB will not induce or do a C/S until 39 weeks. He said if I was really having problems and getting really uncomfortable, he would do it at 38, but he doesn't want to do it earlier. Of course, as we all know, the babies will come when they are ready. Delivery at 38 weeks will be fine.

 

Many OB's feel after 38 weeks the conditions inside may begin to deteriorate. I can tell you though that many OB's will allow you to go until you go into labor and for some (like a friend of mine) that means 40 weeks. Basically, toward the end of your pregnancy you will be monitored closely with ultrasounds and NST's and weekly (or more often) weight and blood pressure checks. They can see how you are doing and how the babies are doing. I really wouldn't worry about going until 38 weeks at all, I think it is just more that most OB's feel that going beyond 38 weeks is not really necessary unless you are trying for a vaginal delivery and the babies decide to stay put longer... Keep them in as long as you can! Every day inside means a bigger baby and less chance that they will need NICU time! Good luck and try not to worry I know it is easier said than done, bu you are in the home strech now!!! B)

 

I am not sure where my MW and DR will stand on this.. I am going to add it to my list of questions to ask them.

 

Thanks everyone,
I am having twice weekly NSTs and AFIs to make sure the babies are doing well in there. Still I worry in between appts. But I'm in the home stretch

 

According to my doctor, mortality rates of twins increases after the 38th week. She won't let her twin PG momma go past that date.

HTH!

 

Look at table 1: http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFi...vol5n2/twin.xml

This study conveniently leaves out the pregnancies where one twin died. The major concern with carrying twins past 38 weeks is that the stillborn rate increases, at that time. This was not included, in the study, as they were only dealing with live births and complications that those babies faced.

 

My OB told me that i would not make it past 37 weeks
well at 38 weeks there were no signs of them coming so we induced at 38 weeks and 4 days
vag. birth baby A 5 lbs 10 oz
baby B 5 lbs 5 oz
everyone perfect and healthy and everyone went home 96 hours later.
Good Luck to you!!

 

Mine won't let me go past 37 weeks. I pray I make it that far!!!