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Writer's pictureEmma Armstrong

I HAVE an IVF baby do I have to be induced?

No! Only you get to decide whether or not you want to accept an offer of induction. And it's ALWAYS an offer, even if they don't word it like that.


"We won't let you go past X weeks"

"You're high risk so we'll need to induce you"

"I'll book you in for your induction"


It doesn't sound like it, but these are all offers - you decide what to do!


By law, doctors and midwives are not allowed to make you have an induction. They're not allowed to "not let you" go past a certain date in pregnancy, even if they say so. Saying it doesn't make it true! And just booking you in for the induction doesn't mean you have to have it.


So, the question is, how do you work out what's right for you? You're likely to be told that your precious baby is at risk of stillbirth because you had IVF. But is that actually true?


An evaluation of the research shows that this simply isn't necessarily correct. You can read this on The Real Birth Company's website - (https://www.therealbirthcompanyltd.com/2021/04/28/ivf-and-stillbirth/). While a small amount of research shows a small increase in the chance of stillbirth in babies conceived by IVF, most research does not. This will also depend on the reasons for your IVF. If the reasons are not related to anything that would increase the chance of stillbirth (eg egg donation) then, well, there isn't any increased risk!


You might also be interested in The AIMS Guide to Safety in Childbirth which explores what "safety" means to us as individuals, and could be really helpful to you when you are looking at what feels right for you during your IVF journey and through pregnancy and birth. aims.org.uk/shop


If you want more resources then have a look at the app which is full of great resources here

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