Overdue Pregnancy- Why Is My Baby Late?

How Does One Arrive On A Due Date In Pregnancy?

Usually, the 40 weeks of gestation is calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period of the mother. As the ovulation occurs only around the 14th day of menstruation, the baby will be two weeks younger than she is calculated to be.

This little confusion can reflect in the possible inaccuracy of the due date. So, a supposedly overdue baby need not be an actually overdue baby.

How Does A Post-term Pregnancy Occur?

There are several reasons that lead to post-term pregnancy, some of which are enlisted below:

1. Miscalculating the Due Date

The accuracy of the due date depends upon how regular your menstrual cycle is. Getting periods on every 28th day indicates that you have a perfect menstrual cycle.

But, if you have an irregular menstrual cycle, the calculation of ovulation and conception can fail. This can cause a miscalculation of the due date. This inaccuracy in estimating the due date can be a major cause of the post-term pregnancy.

2. First-time Mothers

It is said that the first one usually comes late. The main reason behind this can be the first time mother will be well-nourished and will take more than enough rest.

3. The Position of the Baby

The position of the baby can affect the start of the labor. When the baby is ‘breach position‘ (with the bottom first position), the labor is found to start slower.

4. Previous Overdue Pregnancy

If your previous pregnancy was overdue, there are chances of passing the due date without any symptoms of labor in your subsequent pregnancies.

5. Climate

It is a very curious and strange fact that the pregnancies in summer tend to be longer than the pregnancies in winter.

6. Maternal Obesity

Compared to normal-weight women, the risk of longer gestation among obese women is longer.

7. Family History

When there are post-term pregnancies run in the family the chances of you having the post-term pregnancy increase.

Health Risks Associated With Post-Term Pregnancy

There are numerous dangerous health risks (both maternal and fetal complications) are associated with post-term pregnancy. Some of the health risks are:

Increased Chances of Fetal Macrosomia

Fetal macrosomia is a condition in which the baby’s weight weighs more than four kilograms. Fetal macrosomia can squeeze the baby into the birth canal.

This can bring about birth injuries, or increase the chances of assisted delivery using a forceps or vacuum extractor. The chances of uterine ruptures, genital tract lacerations, and excessive bleeding after delivery also increase with the size of the baby.

The Decline in Placental Function

When the pregnancy passes 41 weeks, the placental function can get decrease and become inadequate, hindering the supply of vital nutrients and oxygen to the fetus (placental insufficiency). The aging of the placenta affects the baby’s ability to develop well in the uterus. This will affect the health of the fetus.

Cerebral Palsy

After comparing with 40 weeks of gestation, once the pregnancy pass 42 weeks,  elevates the risk of cerebral palsy.

Placental Sulfatase Deficiency

This condition arises due to some enzyme defects that occur in the placenta. Women with this condition hardly enter into spontaneous labor.

Meconium Aspiration

The chances of inhaling the fecal waste which leads to breathing problems or infection in the newborn increases when the baby is overdue.

What To Do When Your Baby Is Overdue?

Once you go overdue for your pregnancy, certain measures should be taken to prevent some possible risks. Some of the precaution measures include:

Counting Fetal Movements

When the due date is passed, the infant should be monitored closely. A healthy baby often moves frequently. When the baby is unwell the number of movements tends to decrease. Counting the fetal movements is a simple way to ensure the well being of the child

Monitoring the Baby With CTG (Non-Stress Test)

Monitoring the baby’s heart rate with a cardiotocograph helps to ensure the health of the baby. However, remember that the CTG result only indicates the health of the baby at the point of time they take CTG.

Monitoring the Biophysical Profile

With an ultrasound scan, they take a biological profile. A biophysical profile can predict the health of the baby better than a non-stress test.

Mostly they examine four factors:

• Baby’s movements
• Amount of amniotic fluid
• Baby’s muscle tone
• Baby’s breathing

Amniotic Fluid Index

The doctor examines the quantity of amniotic fluid with the help of an ultrasound scan. If sufficient amniotic fluid is present, it indirectly indicates that the placenta is functioning properly.

How Is Labor Induced In A Post-Term Pregnancy?

When the pregnancy continues without the signs of labor for more than ten days, then doctors start to be concerned about the possible complication. Before going into a medically induced labor, some women try to induce the labor naturally by eating certain foods.

The methods of Inducing labor medically include:

Membrane Sweep

After vaginal examination, the doctor will insert a gloved finger into the cervix and move it to the top of the cervix and the bag of water in a circular pattern. This will soften the cervix and stimulate the cervix to produce hormones that trigger labor. This increases your chance by 30% of going into labor within 48 hours.

You can read in detail about membrane sweep here

Administrating Prostaglandin Gel

Inserting prostaglandin gel in the vagina helps in softening the cervix and allowing labor to progress naturally.

Syntocinon Drip

An intravenous drip containing the drug Syntocinon is another method to induce labor. Syntocinon is a synthetic hormone with the qualities of oxytocin, the hormone which has a significant role in the contraction of the womb.

Breaking the Waters

When the cervix is open a couple of centimeters, your doctor will break the water with an instrument shaped like a large crochet hook. This procedure can be quite uncomfortable for the mother. Usually breaking the waters is enough to start the labor. If not, they administer syntocinon drip to accelerate the labor.

How Is Induced Labor Differ From Natural Labor?

More often,  inducing labor makes it more painful than natural labor. Hence, the women who are induced usually ask for an epidural as a pain management technique. It is also found that the women who are induced also have an increased chance of having an assisted delivery.

Actually, only five percent of babies will make it on the day of the due date. You should expect the baby to come two weeks prior or two weeks past your due date. Keep in your mind that, the due date given by your doctor only indicates a possible time for the delivery, not the best time for the delivery. So take some extra rest and relax as your days are about to become very busy as the ‘latecomer’ is on his way.

More on coping with having an overdue pregnancy here.

FAQ’s

1. Do Overdue Babies Develop Quicker?

It appears that children born post-term reach the major developmental milestones earlier than their term-born peers. The baby’s lungs will have plenty of time to develop before birth.

2. Does Late Delivery Mean Boy?

If you’re expecting a son, there’s a greater chance that your due date will slip beyond. Only 7.6% of male kids and 5.5% of female babies were in the womb for at least 42 weeks when they were born. Additionally, males had a 1.5 times greater likelihood of being born at 43 weeks or later.