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42 weeks of pregnancy is the period when a woman begins to worry very much about the fact that childbirth has not yet begun. You should not worry, as doctors begin to consider pregnancy as postponed only from 43 weeks. Moreover, it is possible that the date of the expected birth was simply incorrectly calculated.
By this time, the child is already completely ready for life outside the mother’s belly. But its growth and development does not stop. By this time, the fetus weighs about 3,7 kg, and its body length can reach 55 cm. The larger the size of the baby, the more difficult it will be for him to pass through the birth canal.
Fetal development
No more than 10% of women carry a child up to 42 weeks. But such an indicator is not a reason for panic, especially if the doctor does not detect any threats. Children born at 42 weeks will not experience health problems in the future. If labor does not begin, the woman will be sent for an examination, which will be aimed at assessing the condition of the fetus, amniotic fluid, placenta and cervix.
Based on the results of the examination, a decision will be made on the need for medical stimulation of labor. You should not worry in advance, because if no threats to the health of the child and mother are found, then the woman will be sent home to wait for the start of contractions.
Most often, such risks as hardening of the bones of the fetal skull, aging of the placenta and a decrease in the volume of amniotic fluid occur at 43-44 weeks of pregnancy. Hardening of the bones of the skull complicates the process of childbirth, aging of the placenta provokes the development of oxygen starvation of the fetus, a decrease in the volume of amniotic fluid leads to increased dryness of the baby’s skin and to their peeling.
Feel
A woman at 42 weeks pregnant may experience fatigue from the process of bearing a child, because the stomach is already very large. You need to continue to listen to the movements of the child, controlling their number.
Of course, there is excitement about a protracted pregnancy, but the doctor should dispel all doubts. Therefore, an examination by a gynecologist at 42 weeks of gestation is mandatory. If the doctor thinks that everything is fine, then you just need to wait for the onset of labor.
The woman continues to feel pulling pains in the lower abdomen, in the lumbar region, in the perineum region. Some mothers suffer from varicose veins and hemorrhoids. The skin of the abdomen is strongly stretched, which causes itching and a feeling of dryness. In addition to the fact that a woman feels awkward and clumsy, edema may be added.
Training contractions at this stage of pregnancy are a common occurrence. Moreover, at any moment they can become real. Therefore, if the same time interval is maintained between contractions and pain is present in parallel, then you should go to the hospital.
Signs of a delayed pregnancy
There are certain signs that indicate that the pregnancy is overdue:
The front waters, which should be around the baby’s head, are missing.
The waters are cloudy and contain meconium.
The volume of amniotic fluid has decreased.
In the waters there are flakes of original lubricant.
The cervix is not ripe for childbirth.
The bones of the fetal skull harden.
There are signs of worn out placenta.
The child’s nails are long, sometimes he scratches his face with them.
The skin color of the child has a bluish or greenish tint.
To determine whether a pregnancy is overdue, a woman must undergo the following set of examinations:
Ultrasound, which will provide information about the weight and height of the child, as well as the condition of the placenta.
CTG, which allows you to set the heart rate of the fetus.
Dopplerography, which makes it possible to control the functionality of the placenta and uterine arteries.
Inspection of the fetal bladder with an amnioscope allows you to determine the volume and quality of the amniotic fluid.
Causes of delayed pregnancy
Delayed labor can occur for the following reasons:
The body produces an insufficient amount of hormones necessary for the onset of labor.
Violated fat metabolism.
A woman has diseases of the genitourinary or digestive system.
Equally important is the factor of heredity.
Sometimes the cause of a post-term pregnancy is psychological trauma.
Experts believe that childbirth can be delayed due to the fact that the woman herself asked herself such a psychological attitude. For example, she decided to “give a gift” to her husband on his birthday, or give birth to a child for some holiday.
A strong fear of pain that a woman experiences can lead to a delay in childbirth. In this case, you need to try to calm down and trust your body.
What to do if labor does not start at 42 weeks pregnant?
If signs of a post-term pregnancy are found, the doctor will recommend medical stimulation of labor, or give a direction for a caesarean section. Induction of labor with the help of drugs is carried out only when the cervix is ready to open. Otherwise, doctors first prepare the cervix for childbirth with the help of special preparations, helping it to ripen.
Only then go directly to the stimulation of childbirth. For this, the following methods are used:
Labor induction with oxytocin. The hormone is administered intravenously, which contributes to increased contraction of the uterus. When the contractions reach the desired intensity, the dropper is removed. The disadvantages of this method include the fact that a woman has to lie under a dropper during contractions.
Stimulation of labor with prostaglandin. This hormone increases uterine contractions and makes the cervix more elastic and soft. However, prostaglandin-induced contractions are more intense and painful.
Opening of the fetal bladder. If the birth canal is ready for the child to pass through it, and there are no contractions, then the woman can pierce the fetal bladder. After this procedure, the contractions intensify, and the woman gives birth within a day. However, amniotomy is associated with the risk of infection of the fetus.
If there are no signs of a post-term pregnancy, then you can safely carry the baby. The woman has a few more days to try to speed up the onset of labor on her own. To this end, you can have sex, massage the nipples, and walk more.
Folk remedies for inducing labor that can be used at home are:
Eating pineapple.
Drinking tea based on raspberry leaves.
Taking castor oil, which provokes uterine contractions. With castor oil, you need to be extremely careful, as its overdose can lead to severe diarrhea and nausea.
Giving an enema or taking a laxative can induce labor.
If the doctor indicates that the pregnancy is overdue, then you need to follow his recommendations exactly. It should be clearly understood that a post-term pregnancy poses a certain danger, both for the child herself and for the woman.
At the same time, if the doctor says that you can still wait, then you should not rush things. This means that the child feels great in the mother’s stomach and it is still too early for him to leave him. It is possible that such figures will reassure a woman: no more than 4% of pregnant women give birth on the date that was established by obstetricians. Moreover, a true post-term pregnancy at 42 weeks is extremely rare.
Stimulation of labor, how the procedure goes, what you need to know: