The due date has not yet been born, what to do?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Trinh Thi Thanh Huyen - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

1. What is your due date?

The average pregnancy period is 280 days (ie 40 weeks), this time is calculated from the first day of a woman's last menstrual cycle. The due date is the date the doctor estimates the fetus is about 40 weeks old from the start of the woman's last period before becoming pregnant. However, the due date is only relative, not necessarily the date the baby will be born, because pregnancy depends on many other factors.
According to statistics, about 80% of babies are not born on the due date, but usually earlier or later. Therefore, when the baby is born a week later than the due date, ie from 41 weeks to 41 weeks and 6 days, the doctor calls it a pregnancy past the due date. A pregnancy that lasts more than 42 weeks from the first day of the last menstrual period is called a preterm pregnancy.

2. Is it okay to be 2 days past the due date?

So when the fetus is 2 days past the due date, is it okay? Accordingly, when seeing the due date has passed 2 -5 days. It is best for pregnant women to immediately notify a specialist to be examined and closely monitored.
If it is an error due to the calculation of the expected date of birth, it will be okay, but if it is really overdue, the pregnant woman will be admitted to the hospital to observe the condition and may have to have a cesarean section to ensure the safety of the mother. and baby.
When hospitalized, the doctor will monitor the amniotic fluid index, if there is a lack of amniotic fluid or excess amniotic fluid, the risk of fetal distress and fetal death is very high, so it is imperative to conduct an urgent cesarean section.
Besides, pregnancy beyond the date of labor will have a risk of affecting the health of both the pregnant woman and the fetus. However, this problem will usually only occur in a small number of pregnancies past the due date. Specifically, some of the risks associated with pregnancy beyond the due date include:
Stillbirth . The fetus is too large, making it difficult to give birth through the vagina. A severely reduced amount of amniotic fluid will cause the umbilical cord to be compressed and limit the amount of oxygen supplied to the fetus.

3. What to do when the due date comes but there are no signs of labor?

When the due date comes but there are no signs, pregnant women will worry and wonder what to do until the due date but have not given birth?
Accordingly, on the due date, if there are no signs, pregnant women need to go to antenatal care to monitor their health closely.
During the prenatal examination, the doctor will monitor the fetal heart, evaluate the amount of amniotic fluid more or less, whether the placenta has fibrosis or not. If abnormal problems are detected, the pregnant woman will be prescribed a cesarean section to ensure the health of the mother and baby.

Pregnant women who come to the due date without showing any signs, if not properly evaluated and treated promptly, will cause the placenta to degenerate, the fetus is not supplied with enough oxygen and nutrition, leading to depression. pregnancy and death in the womb.
In some other cases, the fetus is overdue, but the placenta is still functioning well, the baby is still developing but is too heavy, making the delivery process of the pregnant mother more difficult.
In addition, if the expected delivery date is past the expected date of delivery but the cervix is ​​favorable, the specialist doctor will base on the age of the fetus, assess the risks and benefits, and the pregnant woman's wishes to continue to monitor and wait for labor. natural or will use labor induction method to create conditions for the mother to give birth vaginally.
Currently, the majority of pregnant women who reach their due date without any signs of labor often want to give birth by cesarean section more than the application of labor induction to give birth naturally.
In fact, pregnancy past the due date is not necessarily a long-term pregnancy, so pregnant women need to have certain knowledge about maternity issues to make judgments instead of worrying too much. The specialist doctor will monitor the fetal condition through clinical examination and evaluation of ultrasound indicators. If the results show that the fetus is still safe and not impaired, the pregnant mother should still wait patiently for labor or apply induction of labor.

4. Actively prevent pregnancy until the due date but not yet born

To proactively prevent pregnancy beyond the due date, women need to determine the first day of the last menstrual period to calculate the most accurate due date. In addition, pregnant women need to follow regular antenatal checkups and recommendations from specialists to ensure the health of pregnant women and their babies. Supplement with a balanced diet, adhere to a scientific and moderate schedule of activities to maintain a stable weight level for both pregnant women and fetuses throughout pregnancy. In case the expected delivery date is overdue, pregnant women need to immediately go to a specialized medical facility for timely diagnosis and treatment, avoiding unfortunate risks for both mother and fetus. At Vinmec International General Hospital, there is a package maternity service as a solution to help pregnant women feel secure because of the companionship of the medical team throughout the pregnancy. When choosing Maternity Package, pregnant women can:
The pregnancy process is monitored by a team of qualified doctors Regular check-up, early detection of abnormalities Maternity package helps to facilitate the process. Childbirth program Newborns receive comprehensive care Master. Trinh Thi Thanh Huyen is highly trained in obstetric ultrasound, laparoscopic surgery and hysteroscopy at the National Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has more than 13 years of experience working at Hai Phong Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital.
Currently, the doctor is an Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

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