Baby to arrive by Friday!

At 39 weeks, I went in and took the NST again. When the doctor checked for further progress, he seemed worried that there was no further dilation, and still at 50% effacement. He wanted to move the labor along right then and there and send me to the hospital. This was hard for me to take in. I wanted further discussion and explanation. Frank look dumbfounded, then shocked, then happy. I'm sure my face mirrored his expressions! The main reason for the doctor's worries (he explained to me) was because of my advanced maternal age. Statistics show that the chance of Intrauterine Fetal Death increases after 39 weeks in women age 40 and over. See my "By the way" note at the end of this post. When I told the doctor that my experience with Pitocin was "yucky" (yes, that's the only description I could come up with at the time), he said that was because it brings on the hard labor contractions, and that he could just give me an epidural. I did explain that I didn't want the epidural if it could be helped (although I won't rule it out). He said that we schedule the induction but that the day before, we try to ripen the cervix. This is done in one of two ways: using Prostaglandin gel, or a vaginal insertion of Misoprostol. They are both cervical ripening agents that contain a hormone that cause the cervix to thin out (also referred to as effacement) or even help dilate the cervix. After using one of the two methods, the baby will be monitored (using an external monitor). Pitocin may or may not have to be used next. After discussion, we all decided that Thursday I will come into the office for another Non Stress Test, then he will check to see if there is further progression. At that point, he will most likely begin the ripening of the cervix, and send me to the hospital to be monitored overnight. If nothing happens, at that point he will begin the induction with Pitocin. (Let's pray for activity overnight!) SO THIS IS HOW THERE WILL BE A BABY BY FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2009! WE ARE SO EXCITED!! By the way: I found information about advanced maternal age (AMA) as an independent risk factor for Intrauterine Fetal Death (IUFD): The cumulative risk of IUFD at 38 weeks of gestation in an uncomplicated patient age 40 and over is similar to the risk of IUFD at 41 weeks in an uncomplicated patient less than age 35. These results support routine antenatal testing beginning at maternal age 40, and started at 38 weeks gestation.