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Henci GoerFind out what other moms-to-be are asking.  Join in the discussion with Henci Goer, an expert in obstetric research. If you would like to contact Henci outside of the Ask Henci forum, send an email to Goersitemail@aol.com.

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39Week Induction for MTHFR
Last Post 21 Feb 2010 07:01 PM by Henci Goer, BA. 1 Replies.
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10 Feb 2010 07:02 PM QuoteQuote ReplyReply

I'm 31 weeks into a pretty normal pregnancy.  My OB today stated that she wants to induce me at 39 weeks becasue I have a clotting factor called MTHFR, but not the bad version of it.  They say it is necessary because I have to stop the baby asprin at that point and they don't want the clotting to be an issue.  I have never had a clotting issue with either or my previous two children.  Does this make sense?  I don't want to be induced but am concerned for the baby and myself.

Henci Goer, BAUser is Offline
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21 Feb 2010 07:01 PM QuoteQuote ReplyReply

The problem is that you don't have enough information to know whether your OB's recommendation makes sense or not. In order to make an informed decision, you need (and are legally entitled) to know:

  • what treatment is being proposed. This should include what tests or treatments would become necessary or would be likely as a result of having this this one.
  • the pros and cons of the recommended treatment.
  • the alternatives, including doing nothing.
  • the pros and cons of the alternatives.

You can find more information on informed decision-making here.

If I were you, I would also want to know what has changed since, as I understand your post, this clotting issue is a problem of long standing, and your dr didn't recommend induction with the previous two children. You may also wish your ob to show you the evidence supporting induction for women with your condition. If your dr cannot, that would be a red flag as would be any attempt to scare you into agreeing, as opposed to objectively giving you facts. You should also know that as a woman with previous vaginal births, you are at much less risk for a c/sec than a 1st-time mother who is being induced, but induction is not risk free--telling you that it is would be another red flag--and it remains true that the best way to tell when a baby is ready to be born is to await spontaneous labor. 

-- Henci

P.S. If you decide to go ahead with the induction, I recommend searching this forum for my posts on induction. In several of them, I have made recommendations to minimize the chance of experiencing adverse effects.



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