If you ask any pediatrician the most common reason for a middle-of-the-night call, I am sure it would be fever. For obstetricians, the answer must surely be a mother in labor. With fever, we do our best to identify the source of the fever, help with the child's comfort, and reassure parents that fever is not harmful. In fact, fever is the body's natural, appropriate response to an illness. This week, the American Academy of Pediatrics released helpful guidelines to educate physicians and families about "Fever Phobia," and the Wall Street Journal presents a nice summary here.
In modern times, obstetricians have managed some of their middle-of-the-night issues by recommending induction of labor during daylight hours. The "discomforts of pregnancy" are admittedly substantial; so many moms are relieved to consider this option. Induction of labor prior to 39 weeks gestation has proven to have some drawbacks, however, so there is a current push to limit these pre-term inductions. The Journal summarizes this issue here. An induction before 39 weeks increases the rate of complications for the baby, and also increases the rate of a "failed induction," leading to more C-Sections. Ultimately, the Good Lord and Mother Nature know best, and they figured out this "40-week pregnancy" thing for a reason. Waiting until the baby is good and ready ends up being better for both mom and baby.
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