Can I choose to be induced before 42 weeks if I go overdue?

[hoppermum]

That's it really...I went 41+6 before being induced with DS1 and had a fairly dramatic birth due to meconium and having a huge baby. I'm getting close to my due date now with DC2 and starting to worry about going overdue again. So I'm wondering if it's likely that I'll be able to request an induction any earlier than last time, say, 41 weeks? (I'm at Tommy's if anyone has any direct experience of this) I'll speak to my MW at next appointment but thought I might get some insight here too!

Thanks!

[prm]

Talk to your midwives about it when the time arrives but in my experience yes you can. When I had no2 last year I also didn't want to get to 42 weeks either for my own reasons and they let me be induced at 41+1. In fact if I remember correctly guidelines had already changed and they now advise you to be induced earlier than 42 weeks, at 41+3 I think.

Just to add I was at Kings not Tommys - for anyone getting induced at Kings I would advise avoiding a Saturday. Although I was assured it was exactly the same as a weekday I ended up with an agency midwife who, might have been a coincidence but was awful, far far worse than any of the staff midwives I have had at Kings who were mostly great.

[etta166]

King's now induce at 41+3 (at least for a second/subsequent baby). I have no direct experience of this as my baby arrived before this time. However, I was having a really terrible pregnancy and asked about the possibility of being induced early, and was told that it wouldn't be an option before 41+3 unless my health or the health of the baby was at risk.