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Now i know the hospitals all say that 42 weeks is the absolute limit to how long one should be pregnant for....BUT....what are the risks REALLY! Has anyone gone over 42 weeks, i know people do, but i mean from personal experience, what would i have to do to pursuade my docs to let me go over 42 weeks? i just want baby to decide her own day to arrive!
I had DD1 at 42 weeks and only after a wellbeing scan revealed she wasnt going all that well inside.
Are you getting the option of those? I was (and am) happy to go over 42 weeks with the reassurance of scans to show that the placenta and cord are still functioning properly.
There's a sticky thread somewhere, I posted a study where they showed the risk ratios for birth at various weeks... I'm pretty sure the risk was higher at 36-38 weeks than 42. I'm out at the moment but if you cant find it let me know.
My sister was induced at 42wks... She actually thought she might have only been 40wks but she was totally over it anyway so went with the induction. They wouldn't have "let" her go past 42.
I say "let" because of course she could have stayed at home and missed the induction - we all know that no one can force anything upon you! But my sister had had enough anyway!
She had monitoring in the time between 40 and 42wks, lots of scans and things, everything was going ok.
Was does your hospital say? Your MW/Obs? How do you feel about it all? Are you ok going a bit longer?
I had DS at 42 and in some ways I wish now that we had pushed further. We were having regular scans and monitoring and all was going super well so really I don't see any reason why - it really is an arbitary number, particularly if you don't know the exact conception date.The risks are small but they are there and that is why not many will "let" women go past 42 weeks. There are a number of women on another forum where many women homebirth, who went to 42,43 and 44 weeks. :):
In the UK, the risk of stillbirth is about 1 per 3000 pregnancies at 39 weeks, 4 per 3000 at 42 weeks and 8 per 3000 at 43 weeks.
My hospital would have let me no problem but I just wanted her OUT and I couldnt walk (spd) and my hind water had started to break so I finaly got in at 40+6. But they would have let me go as long as I wanted as I didnt want to go with the Drs plans of an epi
I forgot to mention - my OB was going to let me go to 42 + 5 with no issues - and only till then cos she was leaving to go on holidays! And this is an OB from a private hospital in Nambour ;)
You also have to remember, you're likely not 42 weeks when you're 42 weeks. Pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period, based on a 28 day cycle and ovulation on day 14. Ultrasounds are based on averages. Its all hit and miss. Baby knows when his EDD is.
My hospital were happy with my refusal of an induction at 42 weeks (although I never got that far in the end) but there was certainly no pressure to induce as long as I was making an informed choice. I think in many cases the hospitals are just surpised that a woman isn't sick of the pregnancy and ready for the baby to come out, and happy with the assistance offered to make that happen. If you talk through your concerns, and give them a chance to voice theirs, chances are you will come to an agreement you are both happy with (for example regular monitoring, ultrasound of the placental flow, etc).
I had a relatively heated discussion with my OB, as he wanted to induce at 41+3. I tould him in no uncertain terms that it wasn't going to happen. I would go in and have scans of the baby every day, but if he was fine then i was going home.
My mum went to 44 with me and 42 with my sister. My nan went to 46 (ouch!) with my mum. So i figured there has just got to be some genetics involved.
Finally, i went naturally at 40+6 in the end my son was only 6lb15oz (3.1kg) and the OB conceeded that he could have cooked for longer if need be.
I say if you comfortable nad the baby is being scaned then it is your labour and birth. Ultimately all we really want is a healthy baby.
My understanding is that it's safe with frequent monitoring after 42 weeks. DD was actually born at 42+3 (41+4 by the 'official' date). The OB was a bit taken aback when I told him we wouldn't be getting induced at 42 weeks just because they urged me to.
The community midwifery program would take homebirths till 43 weeks.
With both my babies having longer gestations and no problems whatsoever I figure it's just the way I bake them.
thanks all, 'they' tend to make you feel like your really pushing the boundries by wanting to go over 42 weeks, but i think, as i have a long menstrual cycle, i have long pregnancies. DD was induced (by s&s) at 41+5....as long as all is well with this one i think she will go longer, as im already 41+3 :)