Is it possible for your body to not be able to produce the sufficant amount of hormones to go into labor??

Question

I am in my 42nd week here..going a little nuts..and the Dr will not induce till Tues..which is good I'm hopeing my body will start labor on its own...but anyone know if it is possible that your body can not produce oxytocin or enough of it to go into labor..and why this might happen?? I'm so miserable..and this baby is only getting chubbier and chubbier!! any constructive input would be appreciated..thanks ;)

Answer 1

In extremely rare cases the baby can have a defect that prevents him/her from starting labour. And it is theoretically possible that mom's body is incapable of making enough/the right hormones to go into labour but I don't believe this has really ever been proven.

But honestly your due date is based on the assumption that a normal human pregnancy is 280 days -and it just isn't. Study after study have shown that not to be the case. Even most doctors will admit that about 25% of women go into labour the 2 weeks before their due date and aobut 75% after their due dates. In fact the original calculation was based on the assumption that pregnancy should be 10 lunar months because women should menstruate once a moon. Well I don't know why the doctor who came up with this theory couldn't count but lunar months are 29.5 days not 28.



The length of uncomplicated human gestation.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2342739&dopt=Abstract
By retrospective exclusion of gestations with known obstetric complications, maternal diseases, or unreliable menstrual histories, we found that uncomplicated, spontaneous-labor pregnancy in private-care white mothers is longer than Naegele's rule predicts. For primiparas, the median duration of gestation from assumed ovulation to delivery was 274 days, significantly longer than the predicted 266 days (P = .0003). For multiparas, the median duration of pregnancy was 269 days, also significantly longer than the prediction (P = .019). Moreover, the median length of pregnancy in primiparas proved to be significantly longer than that for multiparas (P = .0032). Thus, this study suggests that when estimating a due date for private-care white patients, one should count back 3 months from the first day of the last menses, then add 15 days for primiparas or 10 days for multiparas, instead of using the common algorithm for Naegele's rule.

Answer 2

It would be pretty rare for that to happen. Also sometimes they are off on the due date. I really think if you can avoid induction, do so. But I also know you are probably miserable :), hang in there, you could go into labor at any time! I had to be induced at 36 weeks due to preeclampsia, HORRIBLE experience, ended in emergency c section. Whenever you are induced the risk for c section goes up. But you are much farther along, so I am sure that little baby is ready to come out! Good luck and I hope you go into labor on your own SOON! :)

Answer 3

Actually, being stressed out about it could interfere with the natural start of labor. Nature has designed our bodies to hold off on labor until we're in a safe and quiet space. Think about early humans, living very close to nature. A woman and her baby were more likely to survive if she didn't go into labor when she was frightened of a storm, animals prowling, other humans attacking. Animals are still this way; they like to hide in a dark, quiet place to have their babies.

When you're anxious or afraid, your brain releases cortisol and norepinephrine (adrenaline), chemicals that prime you to respond to danger. When you're safe, your brain releases oxytocin, which signals your body to relax, rest and heal -- and that it's an appropriate time to go into labor.

Try to take this weekend off; lie around in bed and coddle yourself. Get others to coddle you too, if you can. Sleep a lot, eat a lot if you can. Keep the TV off; listen to soothing music. Take long, warm baths. Do everything you can to relax and signal your body that you're safe.

If you have a partner, sex is a good way to relax, and orgasm also causes the release of oxytocin.

My best wishes for a safe and lovely labor -- when your body is ready.

Answer 4

Yeah, some women have that problem. Its usually caused by inactivity, or not being as far along as originally thought, or something else along that line.

I would go try to poop if I were you. Thats how I got my labor started, it broke my water. Or you can check your cervix a lot, with clean hands. Irritating it can help move things a long. I think that did something for me too. Stimulate your nipples for 20 minutes at a time, without stop, and every hour or better. Thats how I got through my 2 day marathon labor, even during pushing I was irregular and had to stimulate my nipples to get things going.

It'll happen. Request cervidel first, its not a pitocin and it will not be as painful and horrible as the pitocin would be.

Answer 5

Apparently some amino acids such as arginine and a couple of others can stimulate the pituitary gland to release more HGH if it is not releasing the normal amounts required for normal growth. A web search for "amino acids to grow taller" will give you further information.

Answer 6

It would be so incredibly rare for that to happen..Most women think that their bodies are broken, when indeed, it's just the way they were designed..Some women hit labor too early, some later..Do a search on the ten month mama...Good info..

Answer 7

if you have a longer than normal cycle, or tend to ovulate LATE in your cycle, then your due date can be off.

also, some people jsut seem to have longer gestations... my mom, for example, went 44 wks both times. she had her water broken with me & that got things *rolling*--i was born 5 hrs later!

you could also try the suggestions in the link to get things going....

btw, as long as the placenta is working properly, there's no risk to your baby (unfortunately, you get to be miserable for longer :( but at least baby isn't in danger)