Induction for Gestational Hypertension

[Anonymous]

I am 36 weeks and have been diagnosed with gestational hypertension- but not pre-eclampsia- Dr wants to induce at 37 weeks- but I am wondering if baby would fare better with more time in the oven if I can keep my BP levels steady with bed rest. Has anyone been able to hold off induction until 38 or 39 weeks if baby is still fine?

[Anonymous]

How high is your BP?

[Anonymous]

I think you need to have a discussion with your doctor. Wanting to wait longer is a very valid desire backed up by plenty of science. Instead of setting the induction by gestation date, ask him for red lines and a level of monitoring that would make both of you more comfortable. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

I also had pregnancy induced hypertension. If you do decide on bedrest, lay on your left side as much as possible. Your bp should be lower when you are on your side. My OB told me to do this and my bp measured normal when I did this. I was monitoring my bp at home twice a day

[Anonymous]

Talk with your doctor about options, and if you really don't feel you are getting a full range of options, see if you can get a second opinion. If you have a pediatrician picked out, maybe try to get their opinion as well.

[Anonymous]

I was induced at 37 weeks for PIH. When my bp was elevated at 36 weeks, they told me to lay on my left side. For two days, I did that. When my bp went up while I was lying down, I went back to the hospital and had my baby.

Hypertension during pregnancy restricts blood flow to the placenta and is very serious. I would discuss this with your ob, starting from the position that the doctor wants a healthy baby as much as you do. Sometimes the baby is better out than in, when the pregnancy has complications.

[Anonymous]

I pushed it off until 38w, but week 37 was Memorial day and they didn't like to schedule for the anyways. I also had a history of pre-e with my first baby but only high BP with #3. It's not something to mess around with, especially if you are not really committed to taking it easy (I was not)

[Anonymous]

Doctors these days in this area are typically savvy about weighing the relative risks of gestational hypertension vs. the extra week longer gestation... I raise the question with him/her - but would follow the doctor's cue... best rest and lying on the left side doesn't necessarily 'work' for all. As someone who did develop pre-e - you don't want to end up there!

[Anonymous]

Out of curiousity: How high are OP and PPs talking? I'm sort of in the opposite position in that I have borderline HBP (especially the bottom number... typically, 125-130/85-90; occasionally, 90-95, but always sub-90 with a few minutes of rest or while laying down on left side) that developed suddenly around 34 weeks and my OB doesn't seem particularly worried about it b/c I don't have protein, swelling or bad/constant/intractable headaches. I'm now well far enough along that I could be induced safely and am surprised she doesn't seem to be considering it at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Doctors these days in this area are typically savvy about weighing the relative risks of gestational hypertension vs. the extra week longer gestation... I raise the question with him/her - but would follow the doctor's cue... best rest and lying on the left side doesn't necessarily 'work' for all. As someone who did develop pre-e - you don't want to end up there!

This. 37 weeks is full term anyway. My #2 was induced at 37 weeks and was exactly the same developmentally as a newborn as my #1 born at 40 weeks. Unless you live in bumf**k, trust your docs on this one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doctors these days in this area are typically savvy about weighing the relative risks of gestational hypertension vs. the extra week longer gestation... I raise the question with him/her - but would follow the doctor's cue... best rest and lying on the left side doesn't necessarily 'work' for all. As someone who did develop pre-e - you don't want to end up there!

This. 37 weeks is full term anyway. My #2 was induced at 37 weeks and was exactly the same developmentally as a newborn as my #1 born at 40 weeks. Unless you live in bumf**k, trust your docs on this one.

38 weeks is full term.

[Anonymous]

39 weeks is full term now.

http://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/News-Room/News-Releases/2013/Ob-Gyns-Redefine-Meaning-of-Term-Pregnancy?IsMobileSet=false

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Doctors these days in this area are typically savvy about weighing the relative risks of gestational hypertension vs. the extra week longer gestation... I raise the question with him/her - but would follow the doctor's cue... best rest and lying on the left side doesn't necessarily 'work' for all. As someone who did develop pre-e - you don't want to end up there!

This. 37 weeks is full term anyway. My #2 was induced at 37 weeks and was exactly the same developmentally as a newborn as my #1 born at 40 weeks. Unless you live in bumf**k, trust your docs on this one.

38 weeks is full term.

PP here. Mistype. 39 is full term.

http://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/News-Room/News-Releases/2013/Ob-Gyns-Redefine-Meaning-of-Term-Pregnancy

[Anonymous]

OP here- the BPs have varied- as high as 185/99 but generally 140's over 90's- I am at Bethesda/Walter Reed and feel like the DRs usually err on the side of extreme caution- for my last I was induced at 39 weeks for the same BPs and baby did really well- my first came naturally at 37 weeks and had to be hospitalized for jaundice- just want the best outcome for baby and me.

[Anonymous]

OP, with two other children at home, how are you going to take it easy and lay on your left side? Realistically, is it going to happen?

Certainly discuss everything in detail with your ob. Even though they've changed the definition of full term, I believe 37 weeks is still the time to induce for many complications including hypertension.