Induced at 38 weeks OR did you "wait" until 40 weeks?

Hi everyone...

I've read a lot of differing opinions about being induced at 38 weeks vs. just waiting to go into labor naturally at around 40 weeks...

I'd love to hear some opinions on being induced vs. waiting it out with twins.

What's your story? What was your doctor pushing for? What's your stand on this issue now?

Thanks all!

Jennifer

 

I am not sure how many mom's made it to 40 weeks with a twin pregnancy ~ I believe that 38 weeks is considered 'full term' in most cases.
We made it to our scheduled c-section date of 37.5 weeks

 

I went in for an induction at 37 weeks and 5 days. I thought I would never make it. The only reason why I was induced then was because my blood pressure got a little on the high side. Just a little high, but enough to induce me. They weighed 6.7 & 6.3.

~Brandy

 

My doc would have let me go 40 but they started having some major weight differences around 37 so we induced at 38. We were shooting for 40 though!

 

I had a scheduled c/s but my doctor wouldn't schedule it until I was 38 weeks. I was 39 weeks when they were born.

 

My Step mother had my brothers at 40+1 she had a scheduled C-section to happen the day after her 40th week. Funny though, she went into labor the night before on her exact due date!

With my twins, Im keeping my fingers crossed to make it to 37 weeks, anytime after that would be a good time to have some babies! Whether its by induction, natural labor, or a planned C-section (HOPE NOT).

 

I originally had planned to "wait till 40 weeks" but by the end.. I was DONE! I finally scheduled a date at 38+4 but had already gone into labor and was dilated to 6cm when I went in to be "induced" - so no induction was needed

 

40w 4days induced vaginal delivery no problems

 

I went until I was 39.2 and was induced. My doc kept saying there was no way I'd make it past Xmas(35 weeks). Now thats the big joke with an IC and preterm labor! But I wouldn't have changed anything about it. As much as I wanted it to be sooner than later. Now I'm so thankful the boys were big and healthy and could come home with me. ( I guess I wish I had had them both vag. and not one of each!) Good luck!!

 

We had a scheduled c-section at 38wks 4 days. Baby A (Addison) had a low fluid level so it was time!
they were 6.9 and 6.8 pounds!

 

I ended up having a scheduled c-section at 38 weeks and 1 day. I was really hoping to go into labor before that and have them vaginally. I had a tough decision because they were both head down and my bigger guy was twin A. I had no major problems and my little guys had no problems.

The only issue was that I was showing no signs of being ready for labor, and my doctor said she couldn't induce me because cervadil (I don't know how to spell it) was contraindicated for twins. I would have needed that with an induction because my cervix was not effacing or dilating, which was a cause for concern.

Honestly, my preference would have been 1) go into labor the old fashioned way 2) c-section 3) induction. I was concerned about induction and the doctor didn't want to do it anyways.

I think one of my guys probably wasn't ready to come out, but they were very healthy and both similar in size to many full term infants.

It's hard to say whether or not I would do things differently.

 

I was in labor when I went in for my scheduled c-section at 37wk 5days.

 

I was about 39 weeks when i went into labor naturally. My aunt was 41.5 weeks prego with her twin girls when they finally came.

 

The "goal" was 40 weeks but I developed pre-e and was induced at 36w6d and delivered the next night. They were 7lbs each.

 

Induced at 38w2d.

This study has a nice chart at the end and it shows there is much not (just slight) difference between 38 and 40 weeks but there is a difference between 36 and 38 weeks. Besides that I was developing a slight chance for blood clots in one leg AND mine measured 6lbs range at 34 weeks, which was correct. I delivered 2 nearly 8lbs babies, 12 days early. They came home with me 2 days later.

http://www.ispub.com/ostia/index.php?xmlFi...vol5n2/twin.xml

My doc / hospital won't allow c/s or inductions prior to 38 weeks for twins unless medically necessary.

 

My dr doesn't want me to go past 38 weeks, she said there was a larger chance for hemorrhaging. She said at my next visit we'll schedule either an induction or a c-sec for sometime around that 38 wk mark (something like 10 days from now :blink: ). I'd rather go into labor all on my own than be induced and I'd rather have a vag than a c-sec, but we don't always get what we want, do we?

 

Anyone else have a doctor say they wouldn't do an induction for twins?

 

QUOTE(sullivanre @ Sep 3 2008, 12:04 AM) [snapback]959540[/snapback]
Anyone else have a doctor say they wouldn't do an induction for twins?

Why not? So if they don't come by themselves, that means c/s? I was on Pitocin at 6 am, broke my waters at 8 am, got the epidural and was complete a little past 10 am. Very smooth and quick, 4 1/2 hours.

 

when we found out we were having twins my ob said i would prob not make it till 37 weeks but at 38 weeks we decided to to enduce 4 days later.
our babies were 5 lbs 10 oz and 5 lbs 5 oz. no nicu
i was very ready to have the babies, not sleeping well, hard to get around etc.

 

QUOTE(Mom2SofieAndTwins @ Sep 2 2008, 08:09 PM) [snapback]959546[/snapback]
Why not? So if they don't come by themselves, that means c/s? I was on Pitocin at 6 am, broke my waters at 8 am, got the epidural and was complete a little past 10 am. Very smooth and quick, 4 1/2 hours.


She said that cervidil is contraindicated for twins, and my cervix was not showing signs of effacing or dilating. I also read that you cannot use cervidil and intravenous oxytocin simultaneously.

I guess if I was showing signs of progressing toward birth, they could have just used pitocin/oxytocin.

 

QUOTE(sullivanre @ Sep 3 2008, 02:40 AM) [snapback]959782[/snapback]
She said that cervidil is contraindicated for twins, and my cervix was not showing signs of effacing or dilating. I also read that you cannot use cervidil and intravenous oxytocin simultaneously.

I guess if I was showing signs of progressing toward birth, they could have just used pitocin/oxytocin.

Never heard of this, but that's probably because it wasn't an issue for me ... I was dialated without any result for weeks and 4 1/2 cm when I was induced. Thanks!

 

QUOTE(MyCrazyLife @ Sep 2 2008, 11:34 AM) [snapback]958850[/snapback]
Hi everyone...

I've read a lot of differing opinions about being induced at 38 weeks vs. just waiting to go into labor naturally at around 40 weeks...

I'd love to hear some opinions on being induced vs. waiting it out with twins.

What's your story? What was your doctor pushing for? What's your stand on this issue now?

Thanks all!

Jennifer


I probably would have made it PAST 40 weeks if I hadn't been induced at 38. I walked around 3 to 4 cm dilated and 70 to 100% effaced for the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy, had constant braxton hicks, and STILL didn't go into labor. So I think if you are showing positive indications for induction, go for it -- those last weeks of pregnancy are SO hard anyway, you might as well get the relief of induction. If you're not dilated or effaced, it might not be such a good idea, because induction often ends in c's in those cases.

 

My OB said that 38 weeks was full term for a twin pregnancy and if I hadnt went by then then they would set a date to induce. I only made it to 34 weeks

April

 

I had a scheduled c-section at 38w4d because both were breech. I hadn't gone into labor on my own at all. We wouldn't have induced because they were going to be born via c-section anyway.

I'm not sure how far I would have gone. It was good we went when we did because my smaller baby had stopped growing.