Understanding Induction at 38 Weeks: A Personal Perspective

Question
I will be 38 weeks next week and my doctor has talked about scheduling an induction, not for any medical reasons just because that's the way their practice tends to do it and she says she understands how difficult pregnancy can be at this point. Now I do have an 18 month at home and completely agree that it would be nice to not be pregnant longer than I need to be, also my daughter was 9.7lbs and I am having a boy this time and don't want to go 40 weeks only to have an even bigger baby.
Is it safe to schedule and induction at 38 weeks? My husband is not too happy about the idea and I don't think I mind, but obviously don't want to risk anything.

Answer
Dear Jessica,

Technically, any pregnancy that is 37 weeks or more is considered "full term". However, if there is any chance that dates might be off a little bit, there is a risk in inducing early.

Personally, I guess I'm not a big proponent of inducing without a medical reason before at least 39 weeks. There is really just no reason for it. It adds cost, and certain risk, to the patient and seems to be simply for convenience.

There are certain risks. First off, sometimes the medication doesn't work because your body (and baby) simply are not ready. Or the medicine might make your contractions too strong. Other complications can include:
-Change in fetal heart rate
-Increased risk of infection to mother and baby (when membranes are ruptured artificially and/or prematurely)
-The umbilical cord comes out before the baby or is compressed
-Uterine rupture

Obviously, medical professionals monitor you and your baby for any/all of these complications and they are not "common", but they are somewhat increased beyond what a natural, unforced delivery would be.

Now, a very large baby can be a reason for an early delivery. If they do an ultrasound and measure to estimate the size of the baby, you would have a better idea of what the potential birth weight might be. Boys are not necessarily bigger than girls simply by virtue of their gender.

Again, this is a personal decision that should be reached cooperatively between you, your husband, and your doctor, however I would encourage you to ask questions and not allow anyone's convenience to dictate your choices.

I hope this has helped you and answered your question. I wish you well.

Brenda