Twins...Gest. age and induction/c-section

clhRN2b2010 · Jul 21, 2008

Haven't heard of an OB locally that will go lady partsl with twins. We would have to search far and wide here. The timing is about right. It's more "convenient" than risking going into labor on ones' own.

Really just my opinion.

CEG · Jul 22, 2008

My hospital has been delivering an unusual amount of twins lately, about 6 sets in the last 2 months, with at least 2 more coming up in August. Most of them have been scheduled, usually in the 37th week. They've mostly done well, (did have to transfer one set, but that wasnt a scheduled delivery). Someone asked one of our docs why they keep scheduling this early and she just said, well 37 weeks is term!
So I'm wondering what's happening at other hospitals with twins?
And are you guys doing mostly c-sections, or lady partsl births? All but one of ours were c-sections, and the lady partsl delivery was actually a vertex twin A and a footling breech twin B.

I've been told that "36 weeks is term for twins." Seems stupid to me not to leave them in as long as possible in the absence of problems.

We had a 34 week twin mom transfer from our facility to a larger one a few weeks ago. It was funny listening to the doc tell her that although he had told her she had to have a c-section, the doc he was referrring her to would probably prefer lady partsl as both babies were head down.

moongirl · Jul 22, 2008

we have been doing 37-38 week twins.

our docs like to cook them a bit more :)

One recently, lady partsl. or should I say attempt vag, she ended up with a csection for failure to descend. THe one this week was C section, one babe was transverse.

babyktchr, BSN, RN · Jul 22, 2008

We have had a barrage of twins lately also. Our local perinatalogists are saying that letting twins go as long as they can is the way to go. We have had more and more 38 weeks twins (much to momma's dismay). We have a 50/50 vag delivery with twins. One practice will deliver vertex/vertex twins lady partslly without hesitation...the other talks them into sections regardless of presentation.

TRAMA1RN · Jul 22, 2008

Speaking as a mom of now 16 year old identical girls my Ob Gyn was on call for me personally as she was al her high risk moms, and c-sections were avoided as much as possible, I did end up with c-section as twin A would not decend through birth canal and twin "A" became twin "B", however I did have epidural and remained awake through entire procedure which was fantastic, My girls also apparently came early on their own approx 1 month but they were 6.1 and 7.2 # I would never had made it another month at that size. I beleive sections should be avoided when the pregnancy is going along without probs.

nurseshepherd · Jul 22, 2008

We only have family practice delivering (small southern hospital) and they almost always section these patients. Timing depends, most at 36 - 38 weeks depending on their physical exam and level of discomfort. We are looking at changing our induction and scheduled c/section policy to prohibit social/elective delivery before 39 weeks because we have had numerous 'term' babies that were shipped with immature lungs requiring surfactant.

twinmomoftwins · Jul 22, 2008

My twins, now 5-1/2, were induced at 37-1/2 wks, on my OB's own birthday! They were lady partsl delivery, BOTH, although going in I was warned I could have one lady partsl and the other C-section. They were 5.13 and 5.14.

Probably wouldn't have induced, but my first was a shoulder dystocia. He was a 39 wkr at 8.14.

beckinben, CNM · Jul 25, 2008

We've had three sets of twins in my practice this year, and all were induced 36-37 weeks due to PIH issues. In general, though, we don't induce prior to 39 weeks.

My physicians will do lady partsl deliveries as long as baby A is vertex. One does lady partsl breech deliveries of baby B, the other will do a version on baby B after baby A is born. But we try very hard to lady partslly deliver as many of our twins as possible. :yeah:

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Jul 25, 2008

Glad to know we are not the only ones with an epidemic of multiples. :)

I've seen about 50-50 vag vs c/section. Most recently born vag twins were both 7lb-plus. :) Mom went into labor at 37ish weeks. :yeah:

HappyNurse2005, RN · Jul 29, 2008

We have about 5-9 sets a month delivered (not including how many are on antepartum at any given time, which is pretty common that there is usually at least one set of twins on antepartum). Generally it is about half and half lady partsl vs c/section. Most OB's will give them the option of elective c/s for twins even if they are vtx/vtx, only some will do them lady partslly if vtx/breech (though, had a doc recommend c/s to a lady who was vtx/breech and she refused and had a breech baby b lady partslly). Few times a year there will be a lady partsl twin a and sectioned twin b.