Although your pregnancy due date may have magical qualities, it is only a calculated estimate of when your baby will be 40 weeks. No one can predict when your baby will come based on your pregnancy due date alone. After your due date, it’s very usual to give birth early or late. To qualify as a postterm pregnancy, your pregnancy must extend for at least two weeks beyond your due date.
Having a postterm pregnancy may be more probable if:
- Pregnant for the first time
- You’ve had a previous pregnancy that was late
- Your child is male.
- You have a BMI greater than 30 (obesity)
- Your pregnancy due date was miscalculated owing to a misunderstanding about the start date of your last menstrual cycle or because it was based on an ultrasound performed late in the second or third trimester.
The placenta or baby might cause an overdue pregnancy on rare occasions.
The fact is that being pregnant is exhausting, to say nothing of the anxiety that comes along with it. A delayed pregnancy will not persist indefinitely. At any point, the labour force might commence.
Postterm pregnancy risks
Health concerns for your baby may grow as your pregnancy progresses from 41 weeks to 41 weeks and 6 days (late-term pregnancy) and 42 weeks or beyond (postterm pregnancy). The risks include –
- Having a baby who is bigger than typical at birth (foetal macrosomia), which might raise the risk of surgical vaginal delivery, or having your shoulder caught behind your pelvic bone during delivery (shoulder impalement) (shoulder dystocia)
- The first bowel movement of your baby may stain the amniotic fluid, skin, and umbilical cord, all of which are signs of postmaturity syndrome. This condition is characterised by a lack of fat beneath the skin (vernix caseosa), a lack of soft, downy hair (lanugo), and a decrease in soft, downy hair.
- It may cause your baby’s heart rate to slow down and the umbilical cord to get compressed, resulting in oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid).
Other risks of post term pregnancy are –
- Tears in the vaginal canal
- Infection
- Bleeding after childbirth
Observing your pregnancy as it progresses
After your due date, you will still get pregnancy care. Your doctor will measure your baby’s height, weight, and pulse, as well as to inquire about the position of your baby and how much they move.
The foetal heart rate monitoring and amniotic fluid volume measurement may be performed if you’re more than one week over your due date. Labor induction may be advised in specific instances. A vaginal delivery may be achieved with labour induction, which involves stimulating uterine contractions throughout pregnancy.
If you and your GP decide to induce labour, you may be given medication to help your cervix ripen. Your GP may use a catheter with an inflating balloon attached to it to widen your cervix. Saline-filled balloons placed on the cervix’s inside help ripen it. If your amniotic sac is still intact, your doctor may use a small plastic hook to make a hole to induce labour.
You may also be given medicine to stimulate contractions if required. An option that’s popular is the synthetic oxytocin hormone called Pitocin, which induces the uterus to contract when taken intravenously.
You’ve made it to the finish line! No matter whether induction is recommended or not, it is important to remain in contact with your GP and be prepared if you suspect you are in labour. Do your best to enjoy the remainder of your pregnancy while you still can.
