Chattanooga Induction Stats-False Information
A local article on doctors discouraging early elective inductions.
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/feb/03/doctors-discourage-elective-early-deliveries/
Although, I’m appreciative that the article is out there, it isn’t completely truthful.
It states that some of these doctors could get flagged at Erlanger for inducing for non-medical reasons before 39 weeks. But it doesn’t say that a doctor could create a medical reason…macrosomia (big baby), or they could break their water without them knowing, or they could do the back door induction method and tell the women that they are already having contractions and that the baby is on its way, so why don’t we head over to the hospital and go ahead and get some pitocin in the system and have that baby today. Women, please educate yourselves with an out of hospital birth class and know that you should let your baby come when it decides as long as a real medical situation arises. A first time mom will average not 40 weeks of pregnancy but 41 weeks and 1-3 days.
The stats that they are quoting for Chattanooga hospitals has to be low as well. When I talk to women in this area, almost all of them were induced and most for the reasons I stated above.
Confessions of a Misplaced Alaskan 
February 3, 2011 at 11:06 pm
I have a sneaking suspicion that the hospitals are not using the same criteria to determine non-medical induction. 0% at Women’s East? I kind of doubt it. In fact I know that can’t be true because a friend of mine was induced around 38 weeks with her third child because she was already dilated 2-3cm and “ready to have that baby” – so her doctor said. It was a completely elective induction with no medical reason.
And the 41 weeks thing is killing me. i’m so tired of hearing doctors say that everything is fine until 41 weeks, but after that the risks go up. Like the baby is fine and safe for 41 weeks, but one day after the womb becomes a dangerous death trap. Even ACOG recommends no induction without medical indication before 42 weeks.
I love being a doula but often it feels like the doctors’ fears suck the joy, delight, and excitement out of the mother’s birth experience. I should sleep more after attending births 🙂