When is term pregnancy

Patient Education Materials For Patients. Featured Clinical Topics. Jump to Jump to Close. Search Page. Resources Close. Number Reaffirmed The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Obstetric Practice Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine This document reflects emerging clinical and scientific advances as of the date issued and is subject to change. Box 1. JAMA ;—6. References World Health Organization. Near the end of your pregnancy you may be uncomfortable or anxious to see your baby.

But remember -- you want to be sure you deliver a full term baby, if possible. Babies born before 39 weeks have a greater chance of breathing problems, low blood sugar and other problems that may result in being admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit NICU.

There are many factors that may lead to a preterm birth. Women who have had a previous preterm baby are at highest risk for another preterm baby. Women carrying twins or triplets or have uterine or cervical tumors are also at high risk. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine announced more specific definitions to describe babies born between 37 weeks and 42 weeks of pregnancy.

In the past, a baby born anytime between 37 weeks and 42 weeks was considered "term. Babies born before 39 weeks are at risk for problems with breathing, feeding, and controlling their temperature. They are also more likely to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit, develop infections, and have a learning disability.

Premature babies A baby born prior to week 37 is considered premature. Often there is no known cause for a premature labour; however, some of the maternal risk factors may include: Drinking alcohol or smoking during pregnancy Low body weight prior to pregnancy Inadequate weight gain during pregnancy No prenatal care Emotional stress Placenta problems such as placenta praevia Various diseases such as diabetes and congestive heart failure Infections such as syphilis.

Overdue babies Around five out of every babies will be overdue, or more than 42 weeks gestation. Tests include: Monitoring the fetal heart rate Using a cardiotocograph machine Performing ultrasound scans. Some of the methods of induction include: Vaginal prostaglandin gel - to help dilate the cervix Amniotomy - breaking the waters, sometimes called an artificial rupture of membranes ARM Oxytocin - a synthetic form of this hormone is given intravenously to stimulate uterine contractions.

Where to get help Your doctor Your obstetrician Midwife or childbirth educator Things to remember The unborn baby spends around 38 weeks in the uterus, but the average length of pregnancy, or gestation, is counted at 40 weeks. Since some women are unsure of the date of their last menstruation perhaps due to period irregularities , a baby is considered full term if its birth falls between 37 to 42 weeks of its estimated due date. More information here.

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