what can happen if the baby is long overdue?

Answer 1

A normal pregnancy may last anywhere from 38 ton 42 weeks.If the delivery occurs after 42 weeks, a serious problem may arise...fetal environment begins to deteriorate as the placenta ages and oxygen and nutritional supplies decrease.As a result, the infant may experience stress which is reflected in its heart rate patterns.

Answer 2

I suppose that depends on how you define "long overdue". Most babies do very well up to about two weeks past the due date. The fear isn't really that the baby will get too big but rather that the baby will stop thriving and may actually begin to lose weight (which is never a good sign). The placenta may begin to age and deteriorate causing decreased oxygen and nutrient flow to the baby. If placental function deteriorates to the point of failing it is disasterous for baby. Babies who are well past their due dates are more likely to pass meconium (bowel movement) into the amniotic fluid and then inhale it which can lead to severe respiratory problems from meconium aspiration syndrome.

With all that said, babies very rarely go more than two weeks past their due date when the dates are good. A few days or a week past due is nothing to worry about since due dates are simply an estimate (hence the E in EDD or EDC) and can be off by a few days even with good dates. Not all babies mature at the same rate so some come a week ro two early while others need a little extra time. Care providers often send women past their due date to get a biophysical profile (an ultrasound which monitors various factors including placental function to determine if it is safe for pregnancy to continue) and a non-stress test to see how the baby is tolerating life in utero. If things don't look as good as the care provider would like then an induction usually happens (and sometimes happens without the testing).

Answer 3

Normal pregnancy lasts between 37 and 42 weeks. Less than 1% of women will not have laboured spontaneously by 42 weeks. After this time there is an increased risk of stillbirth because the placenta may begin to slow down and provide your baby with less oxygen. However, these risks are small and every woman is different. I have had a client who refused to be induced because all her mothers and sisters babies were born healthily at 43 weeks, she did just the same. The key thing to be aware of as your pregnancy progresses is fetal movements, the first thing that happens if the placenta ceases to function as well is that baby moves a lot less in an effort to conserve energy and oxygen. If your baby moves less than 10 times a day then you should have a CTG done to moniter your baby's wellbeing. As for weight gain, there is some evidence that babies DO NOT gain significantly more weight after term, and I have never, ever, heard of babies losing weight in utero, if the placenta was functioning so poorly that a baby lost weight I suspect a stillbirth would be the result. Babies opening their bowels in utero is common in post maturity and causes no ill effects for the baby, babies who open their bowels because of hypoxia (lack of oxygen) during labour are more at risk because the meconium (poo) is thick, and, because the baby is lacking oxygen it may gasp and draw the meconium deep within it's lungs. Most hospitals prefer to induce after 10-12 days overdue, however, I once worked for a consultant who never,in a healthy pregnancy started the process before 13 days post mature; he didn't have many inductions and no stillbirths. The later induction is left, the higher the chance of success.

Answer 4

There is a higher risk of the baby having a bowel movement and inhaling it. there is also the risk of the placenta begining to die off, denying the child much needed nutrients. One of my good friends was 2 weeks overdue and they estimate her (very large anyway) baby had lost almost a pound in utero because the placenta was no longer giving enough nutrition.

Answer 5

The placenta can start breaking down which causes the baby to stop receiving all the proper nutrients s/he needs. It can also up the risk of needing a c-section as the baby has more time to become larger, increasing a chance of not fitting through the pelvis and birth canal.

Answer 6

Generally the doc will induce after 42 weeks because there is a possibility of the placenta deteriorating or the amniotic fluid getting low.

Answer 7

women human beings can go as long as forty two weeks relies upon on your OBGYN in the experience that your depressing ask him to go your date, some previous cures say walk alot, some say drink castrol oil to set off hard artwork, as quickly as your bag of waters ruin you will desire to pass have that toddler or you will get an infection. in case you go over forty two weeks there'll be a huge toddler, wrinkled dermis, and additionally you are able to need a episiotomy- a decrease to offer the super toddler. not a c-section. stable success

Answer 8

They can get too big to be birthed naturally.

When my mom was pregnant with me, after 2 weeks past her due date, they finally induced labor because I was over 8 pounds and they worried I'd never want to come out.

Answer 9

death after 41-42 weeks the placenta will stop working or working properly. when the placenta begins to fail the baby needs to be delivered as soon as possible or it will die

Answer 10

you will most likely be induced