Post-term pregnancy

Pregnancy usually lasts 40 full weeks. A pregnancy that continues beyond this period is known as a post-term pregnancy.

Accurate dating of the pregnancy is key to correctly determining the due date. We base our calculations on the dating provided by the first-trimester ultrasound scan, or the screening carried out at 13 weeks’ gestation.

Provided there are no complications, it is possible to go up to 14 days past the due date. However, with each day past the due date, the risks to the mother and baby increase slightly (foetal macrosomia, cloudy amniotic fluid, increased risk of birth injuries, caesarean section). As the end of the 42nd week approaches, it is advisable to consider steps to bring the pregnancy to term ( -> see induction of labour)

You can help bring on labour through an active lifestyle, exercise and appropriate positioning; drinking raspberry leaf tea is recommended. At the antenatal clinic, the so-called Hamilton manoeuvre can be performed – separating the lower part of the amniotic sac from the uterine wall, which subsequently leads to increased production of prostaglandins in the birth canal and may trigger labour. However, this is not a method of labour induction.