Doctors say pregnant women should be induced at 39 weeks
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A recent debate about the ideal time to induce pregnant women has had surprising results.
Two doctors, who had come to argue each side of the case, ended up agreeing with each other.
They both believed labour should be induced at 39 weeks, earlier than current guidelines advise.
The result of the doctor's debate came as a surprise to many, because it is three weeks earlier than the current recommendation.
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The NHS advises that induction is offered to all women who don't go into labour naturally by 42 weeks. There is a higher risk of stillbirth or problems for the baby if you go over 42 weeks pregnant.
Why not induce everyone at 39 weeks?
The debate happened at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) meeting.
Errol Norwitz, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Charles Lockwood, dean of the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida were asked to express their opinions on inducing women at 39 weeks.
At the debate, Errol stated:
"There is no benefit to the foetus waiting beyond 39 weeks in well-dated pregnancies.
Nature is a terrible obstetrician."
Charles was going to disagree with early inductions.
However, recent studies suggested that earlier inductions at 39 weeks could reduce Caesarean rates and potentially lower the rate of maternal and infant complications.
Considering these facts, Charles also agreed that women should be induced at 39 weeks.
What was originally meant to be a debate soon turned into a discussion on the importance of early inductions.
The views of these doctors has surprised many people.
Cristen Pascucci is the vice president of the advocacy group Improving Birth. She travels the US discussing the issues surrounding birth rights.
She commented on the debate, saying:
"It’s as if women and their babies are fundamentally in opposition to each other and the female body is dangerous by design."
Even though both doctors were in agreement that early induction at 39 weeks was a good idea, Charles said these guidelines shouldn't get the go ahead just yet.
He explained that more research needs to carried out to ensure the practice is extremely safe before anything is formally changed.
Do you agree that early induction at 39 weeks is a good idea?
