What are the reasons twins should not be allowed to carry to 40 weeks?

Is there any reason other than unforeseen health reasons that one with twins should not be allowed to carry to 40 weeks?

I meet with my Dr on Monday and just wanted an idea of what to ask if 40 weeks is even healthy

 

With close monitoring, it can be fine.  I went to 40 weeks but the last scan I had showed the placentas starting to break down.  I had the scan on a Friday, saw my OB on Monday and she booked me for an induction that Thursday.  It wasn't an immediate concern but it was something to consider.   We still hoped I would go into labor naturally within those few days but I never did.
 
That being said, a lot of OB's won't even consider it as a possibility.

 

My doctors were willing to let me go to 40 weeks but no longer - as long as the babies were doing well. But I shopped around a bit to find a hospital that had flexible protocols for twins and enough experience (here your OB is in charge until you are admitted to L&D, then the hospital's medical team moves in).

 

There are benefits and risks to routine induction and there are benefits and risks to waiting for labor to begin. Everyone's individual level of acceptable risk is different - you'll need to decide what set of risks and benefits are acceptable to you.

With di-di twins, *most* OBs (although not all) will routinely recommend induction at 38 weeks. There is some evidence that unexplained intrauterine fetal demise has a relative increase in risk after 38 weeks with twins (the same increase that is seen after 42 weeks with singletons). I don't know the exact numbers off the top of my head but I believe the absolute risk is still small. And when compared to the potential risks of induction, it's not always an easy decision to make, also factoring in how strongly your care provider feels about about routine induction at 38 weeks.

Ultimately, they aren't allowed to not allow you - you have the right to informed consent AND informed refusal of all offered medical interventions, even when pregnant (although that's not always apparent in the language used within the medical community): http://birthmonopoly.com/allowed/

 

I'd really like to go in to labor on my own. I have no issues with having help along but I'd like to go in to labor on my own.

I'm not really sure how I feel about not carrying to 40 weeks if they have to induce...