What is the likelyhood that a baby would be born three weeks after the due date?

Answer 1

Usually your Doctor won't let you go past your due date that far. There have been recent discoveries that the placenta starts to break down after the due date, thus your doctor won't let you go that far over. The only reason I think that you would be allowed to go that over if the actual due date is in question. I would get talking to your doctor and ask why you have been left so long.

Answer 2

It wouldn't surprise me at all. The due dates that doctors calculate are very often miscalculated by at least a week, often two or three.

By the by, placentas do not have a sudden expiration date. It won't start to 'break down' when the date your doctor predicted hits. The placenta will continue to nourish the baby unless something else goes badly wrong, like the placenta separating from the uterine wall before birth (which is another problem entirely, which can happen at any time during pregnancy). Unless the baby is in real trouble or distress, or the mother's health is in real danger, inducing labour is ridiculous. Not only is it many, *many* times more painful than going into natural labour (because the drugs used for induction force contractions), it's more traumatic to the baby. Letting the baby come naturally, and going into childbirth naturally, is more healthy for mother and child.

Answer 3

Most babies are born pretty close to the predicted due date that the doc. figures out by the date you gave him of your last period and by the size of the baby when seen in the sonagrams. Babies come when they are ready to come out . If you are over 2 weeks late most docs will induce labor for one yours and the baby's safety and for two because when you are late you start to mess up thier schedule and three because the rate of growth that a baby grows towards the end you would have a baby the size of a 2 year old if you went to far along. My son was born exactly 2 weeks and 3 days past the due date. The doctor didnt induce labor but he did have me come in every other day to keep track of what was going on. My son finally came and was the size my first son was at 2 months of age. He was 24 1/2 " long and weighed 11 lbs. 4 ozs. When you are late it is mainly due to a mistake in dates but some babies just need a few extra days in the oven. Like I said they come when they are ready to come and as long as everything is going fine its best to just let nature take its course. The baby wont stay in there forever, it will come out.

Answer 4

The due date is only a guide line and it is based on having a regular 28 day cycle and 40 week pregnancy. Using these guidlines 3% come on the day they are due about10% within the 2 previous weeks and the about 70% within the next 2 weeks Nowadays the only pregnancies allowed to go byond 10 days over are those whoes dates have been diagnosed wrong and those whoes cycle is too irregular to confirm a date and naads to be done by scan

Answer 5

It is not totally unheard of. I have a friend that was 4 weeks late before she was induced. But, that was about 9 years ago.
Usually the Dr. . will induce before you get to that point. Most will not let you go more than 2 weeks over these days.
I was exactly 2 weeks late with my 4th child and my Dr. never mentioned being induced. He was going to let me go a little longer had I not went into labor on my own. My baby weighed just shy of 10 pounds. I can't even imagine had they let me go another 2 weeks. .

It is totally dependant on the Dr, though.
If you are worried talk to your Dr. and find out what his standard practice is regarding delivery past your due date.

Answer 6

Not very likely. The doctor will usually induce the labor after being a week late. I've never heard of anyone going 3 or even 2 weeks past their due date.

Answer 7

It must be common I have two due dates and don't know which to go by according to the first day of last period my due date would be April 3 but ultrasound says April 27

Answer 8

I guess that it is a possibility. Remember that when your doctor tells you the due date it is just an approx. However most doctors will not let you go past being 2 wks over due.

Answer 9

It is not hugely likely but it is not unheard of. I myself was just short of 4 weeks late. That was a few years ago, now it is not uncommon for doctors to induce labor if you are significantly past your due date.

Answer 10

My goodness, that would be horriable! My baby was 2 weeks over due and I could not imagiane keeping her in me for another week. She was a BIG baby as it was, I would have had a 13 pound baby at the rate she was growing if we had waited another week. I had a C-section because she never dropped! (too big) I hope that you dont have to experiance having a 2-3 week over due baby! 40 weeks is long enough!