A pregnancy is considered full term when it reaches week 37, although we know that the ideal is for the baby to remain in the uterus for as long as possible , because during these last weeks, many important changes continue to occur in its development.
However, just as being born prematurely increases the presence of certain risks, being born late also increases the risk of some complications. Now, according to a recent major study, after the 41st week of pregnancy, the risk of stillbirth increases significantly .
The study
Published in the journal BMJ and conducted by Queen Mary University of London, the study consisted of a comprehensive investigation that analyzed data from more than 15 million pregnancies included in 13 studies conducted in the United Kingdom, United States, Denmark and Norway.
In total, 15,124,027 pregnancies, 17,830 stillbirths and 2,348 neonatal deaths were analyzed, and according to the researchers, it is the largest study of its kind , finally providing accurate estimates about the possible risks of stillbirth.
It is necessary to clarify the different terms that exist about this type of loss. When we speak of stillbirth, we refer to babies who die in the uterus after the 20th week of pregnancy and exceed 500 grams in weight , while neonatal deaths take place when the baby has already been born, and occur within the first 28 days of life.
According to the study, after 41 weeks of gestation, which is considered “late term” and within the range of a normal pregnancy, there is a significantly increased risk of stillbirth , compared to those babies born in the 40th week of pregnancy.
Although this is an important piece of information, we should not be alarmed or anticipate and induce labor, since the researchers clarify that despite the increased risk, the chances of stillbirth occurring are low , as it occurs in one in every 1,449 pregnancies .
The results of this study are in line with another one carried out long ago in Australia, in which 30 randomized controlled trials with more than 12,000 pregnant women were analyzed. In it, it was found that inducing labor after the 41st week of gestation can save the baby’s life , rather than continuing to wait for labor to start naturally or performing a cesarean section.
The risks of a late birth
The ideal in a pregnancy that passes in a normal and healthy way, is to let the baby decide when to be born and wait for the delivery to start spontaneously and not to anticipate it, because each week in the uterus is essential for the development of the baby .
However, we must remember what we mentioned at the beginning, just as having a premature birth increases the appearance of some complications, having a late delivery also causes other risks to arise .
For example, among the risks that arise if delivery is delayed is that the baby grows too large, which could cause complications during delivery, or that its size compresses the umbilical cord, that the placenta stops supplying nutrients necessary for the baby or suffering from a lack of oxygen and make their first bowel movements inside the uterus.
When reaching the final stretch of pregnancy, it is possible to try to advance the delivery in a natural way, but when it does not happen and time continues to advance, hospitals have a protocol procedure, in which when arriving at week 41 it is offered pregnant women have the option of inducing it .
The results of these studies, rather than being a cause for alarm, are a reminder about the importance of frequent check-ups during the last weeks of pregnancy , especially when the baby has passed 40 weeks, so that health personnel can detect any possible risk and take the pertinent decisions to protect the life of mother and baby.
Photos | iStock
Via | The Herald
