Editing Pregnancy (section)

== Eighth Consultation ==

This is where we heard about our induction date: Mar 7, 2025. Because Julie has gestational hypertension, it's generally advised to have the baby as soon as possible once we're at term. That day is Mar 7. Unfortunately for us, our obstetrician is on call the previous night so will be sleeping when Julie is to go through induction.

That means we'll have a different obstetrician from the same practice. I don't find this particularly preferable but Julie was fine with the whole thing. The reason this is important is that with gestational hypertension, every additional day increases the risk of pre-eclampsia<ref name=eclampsia/>. Every day under 37 weeks makes a NICU stay for the newborn more likely and early birth is only ever recommended if maternal pre-eclampsia<ref name=nice-pre37/>. All this together means that a delivery as early as possible after 37 weeks is what is recommended by ACOG, BMJ, and NICE<ref name=bmj-ghtn-bp/><ref name=acog-pre-eclampsia/><ref name=nice-37/> to balance maternal and foetal risk. The two broad strokes are that the mother is at risk of a stroke and seizures and the child is at risk of not having yet developed her lungs and brain fully yet.

We also found out that she didn't have Group B Streptococcus so that saved us from one course of antibiotics.