Induction at 37 weeks?

Hi all, this is my first post .

I'm 22 weeks pregnant with g/g twins, no problems so far. My OB mentioned for the second time today that he will want to induce me around 37 weeks if I don't deliver before then. He didn't really give a reason, he just said something about twins not doing well after 37 weeks.

I've done quite a bit of research so far during this pregnancy and I haven't seen any information on induction that early when there's no other problems. Have any of you had your doctor suggest this? Does anyone know of studies that show babies doing poorly after 37 weeks?

I don't really feel comfortable with this recommendation without seeing some research to support it. Thanks for any help!

 

Hi all, this is my first post .

I'm 22 weeks pregnant with g/g twins, no problems so far. My OB mentioned for the second time today that he will want to induce me around 37 weeks if I don't deliver before then. He didn't really give a reason, he just said something about twins not doing well after 37 weeks.

I've done quite a bit of research so far during this pregnancy and I haven't seen any information on induction that early when there's no other problems. Have any of you had your doctor suggest this? Does anyone know of studies that show babies doing poorly after 37 weeks?

I don't really feel comfortable with this recommendation without seeing some research to support it. Thanks for any help!

 

My OB told me the same thing that he will induce me at 37 wks for the same reason that your OB gave. All that I have read says the placenta starts breaking either at or after 38 wks. If I remember correctly growth really slows down too. Basically what I read is that is pointless to go past 38 wks w/ a twin pg. I am still determined to try and make it to 38 wks. I do not want to be induced and hope to have a vaginal delivery. I almost changed OB for this reason because I'm determined to go as long as possible. I have a DD who is 2 1/2 yrs old and was born at 35 wks. She was in the NICU for over 2 wks and that was not fun. I don't want to go through that again if I can help it.

HTH....

Michelle

b/b twins due 3/17/07

 

My ob's cut off is 38 weeks. It seemes to vary a bit from Dr. to Dr. I'm really hoping to cook my babies as long as possible, so I would also be upset if my ob said 37. It's probably still to early to tell how things will progress at this point, but the bottom line is: if there is a problem, they'll want to take the babies. If there isn't., there is no reason. You're the boss of your body. there is no harm in asking questions--So I would definitely require some solid answers from him!

Reyna

 

My doctor's rule was no further than 38 weeks. However...I just talked to her about this yesterday at my 6 week postpartum appt., because I felt like my induction had failed because we'd induced too early. She said that they base this recommendation purely on STATISTICS, and that 38 weeks "tends" to be the safest time to deliver (like the pp said, there are more problems with the placenta, stillbirth etc. after that point).

Each pregnancy is SO different though, and if yours is healthy and uncomplicated I would advocate for yourself and try to deliver when those babies are ready. They'll be monitoring you so closely at the end anyway, that if there's even the slightest sign that the twins are in danger they won't hesitate to deliver immediately.

Good luck with everything! Feel free to email me if you more questions about the early induction--it's all pretty fresh in my mind at this point.

 

My doctor also says 38 weeks! we have scheduled my c- section at 38wks 4 days because of the holidays but they said that if I have
problems or go into labor before then they will take them at that time!

 

My OB is also scheduling my c-section for 38 weeks on the nose. I haven't seen anything about 37 weeks, but remember, you will be having NSTs and u/s fluid checks pretty frequently leading up to that point, so they will be able to tell if your babies are doing well or in distress. After 38 weeks, the placenta may begin to deteriorate and become less efficient, so twins tend to start losing weight. Twins tend to mature a little more quickly than singletons, which is why problems tend to surface if they stay in too long.
I believe the average set of twins is born at 37 weeks, maybe that is where your doc got his number? I am at 36w2d and still feel pretty great - babies are fine, around 6 lbs each, so I have no problem hanging in there for another week and a half, unless I go into labor before then. Are yours identical or share a placenta or anything like that? Maybe there is a higher risk level in your particular case, but since you didn't mention it, it makes me wonder why he would say 37w.
Good luck and keep researching/get another opinion.
jcs

 

My doctor won't let me go past 38 weeks. I read that twins born at 37 weeks do better than those that go full term, so I'm sure your doctor has good reasons behind his thinking.
Helen

 

I tried to have my boys induced at 37 weeks but my doctor would not do it, he said it was too early. He would not let me go further than 39 weeks but I was induced at 38w2d and had 2 beautifully healthy big babies needing no further care other than my own. My babies never left my side from the time they were born.

 

I delivered at the major hospital is my area with the highest level NICU possible-these doctors are experienced with high risk pregnancies, premature babies, and the latest research. That being said, the hospital would not allow my OB or any other OB to schedule an induction for twins until 38 weeks-the hospital would not budge even one day for me so I could have my regular OB, so I was indcued at 38 weeks exactly with a different OB from the practice that I knew because I couldn't wait six more days for mine to be back on the schedule. Of course, if an induction was medically indicated due to my health of that of one of the babies I could have been scheduled sooner. We had an NST where they were really worried about Jessica(B) at 36 weeks and a few days and I was sent to the hospital for a closer check with the higher level U/S and labor and delivery had been called just in case we needed to deliver that day. Thankfully, it turned out to be nothing but a heavily sleeping baby that wasn't moving when they buzzed her-she still is hard to rouse when she's in a deep sleep.

As I said, I was induced at 38 weeks. I delivered the next day and had two healthy babies.


Angela

 

Welcome to TS!

 

Welcome and Congrats!!

My OB also said from the beginning he wanted to take the babies at 37 weeks...we're now just trying to make it into the 30's...and as far as we can!!!

GOOD LUCK!

 

Thanks for the replies and the welcomes .

So it sounds like 37 is earlier than many of your docs would agree to induce, but 38 is relatively common. This is good info - thanks for sharing your perspective and experience .

 

It also depends upon the pg and the woman. I am 5' tall and my belly was HUGE 50cm? by 34 weeks! So my peri said they would induce at 37 weeks - if I made it that far HA. (see my siggy).

That being said, my sister -who is a dr herself- was determined to carry her twin boys to 40 weeks! She made it just a few days shy of that goal and they were 8+ lbs each. OMG is all I can say!

GOOD LUCK!!!!

 

Every dr is different. My OB had induction scheduled for 37 weeks. He did not plan on letting me go any longer than that. My babies had other plans so we never made it to my induction date.