I'm going to start out on a pregnancy/birth kick for a while. This has been on my mind for several reasons, one of which is that I am 21 weeks pregnant. The other reason is that I see many pregnant patients, many of them pregnant with their first babies, and I'd like to share some things I've learned along the way from both my pregnancy/pediatric formal education and my personal experience.
I'm going to get a bumper sticker that says "It's a due date, not an expiration date." Due dates are estimates. So why is it that when a pregnant mom approaches her due date, she feels pressure from all around her, including her doctor, to hurry up and have the baby? I have seen many moms almost start to panic, thinking that their bodies weren't working correctly because they reached their due date and still no baby. When allowed to go into labor naturally, most women will go into labor between the 10 days before or 10 days after their due date. In the majority of cases where women are induced, both baby and mother are doing fine. There is no medical reason to induce. It is simply for convenience.
I have to wonder whose convenience this is for. In too many cases, artificial induction of labor leads to other interventions, like Cesarean. What seemed so convenient for the mother at the time of induction is not very convenient when she is recovering from major abdominal surgery.
I write this to get people researching, and deciding for themselves what is best for them and their baby. Here are some questions you should ask if your doctor wants to induce you:
1. Is my baby healthy right now?
2. Are there any risks to my health if I do not have this baby today?
It's really that simple. If there is no medical reason to induce, wait till the baby wants to come naturally. That is the safest thing for both mom and baby. In defense of many doctors, a lot of women are uncomfortable at the end of pregnancy and ask to be induced. Many doctors don't see a lot of women who choose to go much past their due date. Make sure you choose a provider who respects your wishes for birth, and one that you trust will be honest with you about the real risks involved in any procedure and decision. That will be a future discussion: Choosing a provider for pregnancy and birth.
