6 minute read
EXPERT ADVICE
MY DUE DATE WAS EARLIER THIS WEEK AND BABY IS SHOWING NO SIGNS OF ARRIVING. IS IT LIKELY THAT I’LL BE INDUCED?
Christine Yu, consultant in obstetrics & fetal medicine at The Portland Hospital (part of HCA Healthcare UK), says: “In the UK, approximately 20 per cent of pregnancies are induced. In the vast majority of women, there’s a high chance that natural labour will begin before 42 weeks’ pregnancy. However, once you are 10 days overdue, it’s likely that your doctor will discuss the option of an induction.
Induction of labour is done to bring on the first stage of a journey that all pregnant women need to take before they’re in the active phase of labour. Induction takes time, and involves artificial hormones being given to women to soften the neck of the womb and bring on uterine contractions. This is usually followed by the use of a Pitocin drip.
A recent patient-experience survey shows that women who underwent post-date inductions were more satisfied with their delivery than those who waited for longer. Other studies also show that inducing labour carries no increased risk of instrumental delivery, and that it can significantly reduce the risk of caesarean section.
Post-date induction of labour also lowers the risk of your baby inhaling meconium – also known as meconium aspiration syndrome – which can make babies very sick.
On the other hand, going overdue does carry a very small risk to your baby. National statistics show that the risk of stillbirth increase the more overdue you are. At 37 weeks, this risk is at 0.7 per 1,000 and beyond 43 weeks, it increases to 5.8 per 1,000. This risk can be higher with advanced maternal age and if there are other underlying health concerns.
In summary, induction of labour is a very safe process that can help with the natural, safe delivery of your baby with no increased risk for the mother.”
A FRIEND RECENTLY TOLD US ABOUT UMBILICAL CORD BLOOD BANKING, WHY SHOULD WE CONSIDER IT?
e e ie ientifi fi e at Cells4Life says: “Your baby will be born into a world where medical science is progressing faster than ever. Not only can she expect to live beyond 100, she can also expect to remain healthy. Stem cells will play a pivotal role in this.
Your baby’s umbilical cord blood is a rich source of billions of stem cells that have the ability to repair damage, grow new tissue, and even treat lifethreatening diseases. These cells can be collected and stored at birth, so your baby has her own perfect stem cell match, ready and waiting for any treatments she may need in the future.
Cord blood stem cells are already used for more than 80 di erent conditions. There are currently more than 6,000 di erent clinical trials investigating the application of stem cells to treat anything from spinal damage to Alzheimer’s, and there have already been significant breakthroughs using cord blood for brain disorders, like cerebral palsy and autism, which a ect 1 in 400 and 1 in 100 children in the UK respectively. Storing your baby’s umbilical cord blood is like taking out a kind of ‘biological insurance’ against these conditions.
Collecting cord blood is quick, simple and totally safe, however it’s only available a few moments after birth, so it’s important that you do your research and set up the service a month or so beforehand. The most crucial thing to look at is cell count, as this dictates how many treatments it could be used for.”
IN MOST CASES, YOU WON’T BE OFFERED AN INDUCTION UNTIL YOU REACH 42 WEEKS
I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INTO FITNESS AND REGULARLY WORK OUT. I CONTINUED DOING A FAIR AMOUNT OF EXERCISE IN MY SECOND TRIMESTER BUT WITH EIGHT WEEKS TO GO UNTIL MY DUE DATE, SHOULD I STOP WORKING OUT?
Dr Joanna Helcké, pregnancy and tn t l fitne e e t y “Absolutely not: keep going! As long as you’re still keeping well in pregnancy and there are no contraindications, such as a very low-lying placenta, then you can carry on exercising right up to your due date or, believe it or not, beyond your estimated due date.
With your bump getting bigger in this last trimester you may well feel the need to slow down and take your exercise more gently – be sure to heed your body’s signals to ease o . Land-based exercise will start to feel tougher so you could switch to water-based workouts (when it’s safe to do so) which will give you a lovely feeling of lightness and will also stop you and – importantly – your baby from overheating. The e ect of water is to dissipate heat which means that your perceived rate of exertion is lower. In other words, your workouts will feel easier – just what you want to hear! Try aquanatal, aqua jogging and swimming but if pelvic girdle pain is a problem, be sure to avoid breaststroke as is will aggravate the condition.
Alongside your cardio, I’d recommend carrying on with pregnancy tailored core stability work such as prenatal Pilates. This will help protect your lower back by keeping the deepest layer of abdominal muscles toned; it will also keep your spine mobile and postnatally will speed up recovery of the abdominal area encouraging realignment of abdominal separation.”
SOURCES: VOUCHERCODESPRO.CO.UK; LETS-DOTHIS.ORG.UK; ONS.GOV.UK, FACTRETRIEVER.COM; BABYGAGA.COM
Expertadvice
Our healthcare professionals answer your questions on late pregnancy
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ‘NATURAL’ AND ‘ACTIVE’ DELIVERY OF THE PLACENTA?
Dr Shazia Malik, consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician at The Portland Hospital, says: “The di erence between the two is that with the natural delivery, no drugs are given. Your midwife will wait for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before clamping the cord, and then will await spontaneous delivery of the placenta. This can take up to an hour, but can vary. Holding and feeding your baby, as well as passing urine or sitting upright, can help.
With an active third stage of labour (the stage where the placenta is delivered), a drug called syntometrine is given into your thigh, usually as the baby’s body is delivering. You won’t feel it as you’ll be busy delivering your baby! This drug helps the uterus to contract more quickly, so the placenta will separate and deliver without a delay – the benefit is a reduction in the incidence of excessive blood loss. It is recommended if you’ve had a long labour, required drugs to make you contract, have twins, or if you have an instrumental or caesarean delivery – all of which can increase the risk of bleeding. The placenta is smaller and softer than your baby, so apart from feeling an urge to push, it rarely feels painful.”
Other questions I want to ask my midwife…
DID YOU KNOW?
OF PREGNANT WOMEN FEEL UNDER PRESSURE TO EAT LARGER MEALS
200 EXTRA CALORIES ARE ALL THAT’S REQUIRED DURING THE FINAL TRIMESTER
The mean age of new mothers in the UK in 2020 is 30.7, up from 26.4 in 1973
OF NEW PARENTS SAY THEY ARE ‘OVERLY CAUTIOUS’
