There is a lovely story in Men at Birth of a woman who gave birth at 42 weeks and five days, to a perfectly healthy baby. The interesting issue in this story was the sheer amount of pressure the hospital put on the woman and man to have the baby despite their being no evidence whatsoever of a medical reason to do so. There was no placental breakdown, there was no maternal nor child distress. They just wished to do so because that's what the protocol said they should do. And this is evidence based care?

It is quite possible for the pregnancy to be monitored to see if there is a need to induce, but in the vast majority of cases, the baby is induced because of the hospital's protocols, not because of medical need.

The shotgun approach to induction in Australia is one of the reasons for the alarming increase in caesarean sections. Not many obstetricians like to acknowledge that fact!

Remember, it is your body and you are in control.

With very best wishes to you and here's hoping your baby will have an opportunity to arrive when you and it is ready,


David