Managing Post-Term Pregnancy

The timing of birth has a significant impact on neonatal wellbeing. Too early or too late can be the difference between life and death, yet by intervening in the natural timing of birth, existing problems can be exacerbated, or entirely new problems created.

What is Post-Term Pregnancy?

Post-term pregnancy is a pregnancy that extends to 42 weeks of gestation or beyond (Galal et al. 2012).

However, interchangeable use of terms such as ‘post-term’, ‘post-dates’ and ‘prolonged’ pregnancy can cause confusion and misunderstanding. A more precise and internationally recognised definition is offered by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), who state that:

• Post-term pregnancy is defined as a pregnancy lasting 42+0 weeks (≥ 294 days) or more.
• Post-dates pregnancy is defined as lasting 40+0 weeks plus one or more days.
• Prolonged pregnancy is any pregnancy after 42+0 weeks and is synonymous with post-term pregnancy.