Mark asks…
Nurse Practitioner is trying to force an induction?
I have had a very uncomplicated, boring, normal pregnancy. My blood pressure is fine, I quit smoking, my glucose is perfect, and my weight gain is right where it should be. The baby’s heartbeat has always been strong and healthy, plenty of movement, etc.
I do have Medicaid, unfortunately, through no fault of my own. This baby is a surprise, and I found out I was pregnant the same day I lost my job back home.
My nurse practitioner has gone from Mary Poppins to Josef Mengele, though. Why? Because I expressed a desire to deliver at a local hospital instead of driving an hour and a half (if not longer, depending on Houston traffic) to deliver at UTMB Galveston. I was always told it was “preferred” not “mandatory” that I deliver at UTMB, so I was thinking I had an option.
Nope. Apparently not.
I just hit 34 weeks, and at my visit on Tuesday, when I asked the nurse practitioner about giving me a copy of my records so I can register at a local hospital, she went off on me.
She told me I was high risk (um, since when and why am I high risk?) and that I knew this whole time that I have to deliver at Galveston. When I told her the issue is that I didn’t want to put up with an hour and 1/2 to two hours stuck in traffic while in active labor, she said, “Well, in that case, at your 36 weeks appointment, if you’ve dilated at all, we’re going to send you down to Galveston for an induction immediately.”
When I told her, “No, I don’t want to induce, especially not that early, I want natural labor,” she then threatened to call CPS on me for child endangerment if I didn’t go through with an induction. She said she would also call the state if she found out I waited until I was in active labor and went to a different hospital.
What can I do? I know this can’t possibly be legal, and no other OB will take me right now because of how far along I am. However, the hospital I want to deliver at does take Medicaid, so could I deliver at that hospital anyway? Help!
Michelle answers:
What is wrong with that woman!? I’m so sorry you had to go through that, she sounds downright horrible. I really think you should report her before she can report you- it might save some other pregnant women the stress of dealing with her, too.
Where you have your baby is your own personal decision and it seems wise to me to want to have your baby in a nearby hospital, having to travel almost two hours sounds stressful and very unwise, it sounds as though you’re completely in the right.
The fact she wants to induce you a month early is completely out of order, too, I’m pleased you put your foot down over the matter because a more shy person may have just bowed to her strange wishes. Have you tried calling other OBs, explaining your situation and seeing if they can take you on in this case, it being so important you receive proper healthcare? It could be worth a try!
Best of luck to you and your baby, and maybe it’s a little late to say, but congratulations on your pregnancy 🙂
Jenny asks…
Blood Pressure ? during pregnancy?
Okay so my last doc appt my BP was a little high. I have a history of off and on high blood pressure and had high blood pressure beginning of pregnancy but went away for couple months now back.. never took any meds for it.
My question is it possible to have high blood pressure and not develop preeclampsia in pregnancy??
Also if I do happen to develop it and get induced… how many people ended up with a c-section or vaginal delivery? Because I am fine with the induction but I really dont want a c-section I want to go all natural no drugs for delivery..
If it matter much I am 28 1/2 weeks… My next appt is at 30 weeks and they are going to see how my BP doing then.
Michelle answers:
In had pre eclampsia with my 3rd baby and was induced at 38 weeks, i had a completely natural vaginal delivery. It depends tho, if you are already dilated to say 2cm(as i was) they can just break your waters to induce you. If you arent dilated they give you gel and leave it to ripen your cervix (they can do this twice) then with either scenario they wait a bit for contractions to start, if they dont they give you a drip to make them. If that fails and your contractions wont regulated and you arent dilating you may end up with a cesarian. After having my waters broken my contractions started with in 20 minutes and i didnt need a drip. But a friend of mine went to be induced and it went no where and she ended up with a c section. It very much depends on the baby and your body. Her baby was too big. And with the blood pressure the doctor is less likely to be overly alarmed if you had high blood pressure previously. If they detect other markers like protien in your urine then it may be pre eclapsia. If you get dizzy, nauseous, see spots, shoulder blade pain, indegestion pain then you should see your doctor as these are also markers for pre eclapsia. Good Luck and Sorry for it being so long!
Michael asks…
Growth scans & static growth in last weeks of pregnancy? Anyone else been monitored?
I am 36 weeks pregnant & have been placed under the care of a consultant at the hospital (rather than midwifery led care) because at 28 weeks to 31 weeks my fundus measurement had only increased by 1cm. I was below the 10th centile (was measuring 27cm at 31 weeks) growth scans have been done every 2 weeks since. From 31 weeks to 33 weeks the growth leapt from 27cm to 31cm which made baby bang on the 50th centile! I thought that was big…but then at 35 weeks a growth scan showed just a weight gain from 2112g at 33 weeks to 2224g at 35 weeks! The consultant has been doing regular CTG’s and Liquor volume & doppler scans in between.
Baby is VERY active, Im constantly monitoring his movements but the consultant warned me that if next weeks growth scan doesnt show some growth he will have to consider inducing me & hes going to pull the plug on my arranged homebirth!
Im GUTTED! Has anyone else ever had to be monitored like this & how did your birth start? induction? spontaneous?
Obviously my babys health during labour & delivery is paramount to me but Im finding all this rather confusing & am not sure where this situation will end. All answers will be appreciated
*This is my 2nd child, I had a natural homebirth to a 6lb 11.5oz baby girl 4 years ago, fundal height measurements on her pregnancy were consist but always just below the 10th centile.
Michelle answers:
It sounds to me like the doctor was going overboard. My babies were all average to small and I gained minimum and they stayed small. We had a OBGYN who is a bit more laid back, especially considering I could tell her that babies in both families were small to average size.
All children grow in spurts – even in the womb.
My first boy was a week late, 7lbs 5 oz, my second boy was five days early 6lb 10 oz. That’s not tiny, but I never looked more than six months prego and the measurements were low.
Think twice about this percentile too – it stacks you against american average, right? Americans are typically overweight and have overweight babies because of the unhealthy foods they eat. 10th percentile may be closer to the 50th percentile for small, healthy eating mothers.
Maria asks…
When did your doctor schedule an induction?
I am due August 5th, my doctor is already talking inductions with me. She typically does them at 41 weeks. I have read that standard with a normal healthy pregnancy is 42 weeks. But I have many friends who were induced early. I would like to have our bundle of joy as natural as possible and was wondering how other doctors have handled over due babies. I also know that I have a while before she will induce but I would like to let her know ahead of time if I choose not to induce at 41 weeks.
Thanks All!
Michelle answers:
Having your induction at 41 weeks is an OPTION. If you want to wait until you’ve passed 42 weeks, tell your doctor that you want to wait and have her schedule it for the day you are 42 weeks. Induction medications sometimes make having a natural birth (without epidural) difficult if not impossible. The longer you wait for an induction, the more successful it is. The doctor will often just do a non-stress test to check to make sure the placenta is fine.
BTW, you can refuse an induction period, even if you have passed 42 weeks, but unless your family has a history of long gestation, I do agree that the data supports not going beyond 42 weeks as problems with placentas do increase.
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