Postterm pregnancy

Postterm pregnancy
Other namesPostterm, postmaturity, prolonged pregnancy, post-dates pregnancy, postmature birth
SpecialtyObstetrics

Postterm pregnancy is when a woman has not yet delivered her baby after 42 weeks of gestation, two weeks beyond the typical 40-week duration of pregnancy.[1] Postmature births carry risks for both the mother and the baby, including fetal malnutrition, meconium aspiration syndrome, and stillbirths.[2] After the 42nd week of gestation, the placenta, which supplies the baby with nutrients and oxygen from the mother, starts aging and will eventually fail. Postterm pregnancy is a reason to induce labor.[3]

  1. ^ Kendig, James W (March 2007). "Postmature Infant". The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Archived from the original on 2012-08-20. Retrieved 2008-10-06.
  2. ^ Muglu, J; Rather, H; Arroyo-Manzano, D; Bhattacharya, S; Balchin, I; Khalil, A; Thilaganathan, B; Khan, KS; Zamora, J; Thangaratinam, S (July 2019). "Risks of stillbirth and neonatal death with advancing gestation at term: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies of 15 million pregnancies". PLOS Medicine. 16 (7): e1002838. doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1002838. PMC 6605635. PMID 31265456.
  3. ^ Eden, Elizabeth (16 November 2006). "A Guide to Pregnancy Complications". HowStuffWorks.com. Retrieved 2008-11-13.