Mother, Baby & Kids

Third Trimester: 42 Weeks Pregnant

Zakwan Shah
42-weeks

Okay, so your baby is taking their own sweet time for too long now. It’s time to take action before something serious happens.

At this point, your doctor has already had you admitted to the maternity ward. At 42 weeks, you are at an even greater risk of complications the longer your baby stays inside you.

Here’s what you need to know about postterm pregnancy and how you can prepare for it.

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How Is Your Baby at 42 Weeks

At 42 weeks, your baby is well past their due date. This means that they are fully grown babies.

They now weigh between a bit more between 3.5 to 4 kilograms. However, the risk to the baby is now greater.

According to Dr Mohamed Galal, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at John Hunter Hospital, Australia, postterm pregnancies are pregnancies that have extended beyond 41 weeks.

This condition poses the greatest risk for unborn babies and will usually require immediate medical intervention.

Here are some risks that they may experience the longer they stay in the womb.

Postmaturity/Dysmaturity Syndrome

A condition whereby the baby stops gaining weight in the womb after the due date has passed.

This results in a foetus with overgrown fingernails and toenails, thin wrinkled peeling skin, thin body (malnourishment), long hair, and frequently passage of meconium.

Meconium Aspiration Syndrome

Meconium refers to your baby’s first bowel movement that they would have normally passed after they are out of the womb.

However, in a postterm or overdue pregnancy, the baby’s stool mixes with the amniotic fluid.

The faecal matter can clog or irritate your baby’s airways, and possibly even injure lung tissue.

This is known as meconium aspiration syndrome

Oligohydramnios

Oligohydramnios is a condition where there’s not enough amniotic fluid in your amniotic sac. While harmless for the mother, it can be dangerous for the baby.

Some risks include umbilical cord compression, foetal growth restriction, respiratory issues or underdeveloped lungs.

Short-Term Neonatal Complications

These are temporary conditions that your baby experiences soon after their birth.

Aside from potentially low Apgar scores, your newborn may suffer from hypoglycaemia, seizures, and respiratory insufficiency.

Your Body at 42 Weeks of Pregnancy

At 42 weeks of pregnancy, you are considered overdue. Your doctor will already have you admitted at this point to facilitate monitoring.

The typical pregnancy symptoms remain: pelvic discomfort frequent urination, swollen legs, haemorrhoids, heartburn and insomnia.

Perineal massage may be helpful and relieving some of the discomfort. But try not to sit around for long periods of time.

Walking can help induce labour if you’re truly overdue.

At this point, you should be looking out for warning signs of labour such as phantom contractions, pre-labour diarrhoea, lightening, and backache.

What Are the Risks of Postterm Pregnancy?

Women who have still not given birth by the 42nd week have a higher chance of experiencing childbirth complications, including death and heavy bleeding.

The longer you go past your due date, the more risks arise for bother mother and child. There are far too many to mention here.

However, according to Dr Aaron Caughey, professor of gynaecology and obstetrics Oregon Health and Science University, these are the most common complications that your doctor will usually watch out for:

  • Labour dystocia (slow delivery)
  • Severe perineal injury
  • Postpartum bleeding
  • Infection
  • Vaginal tears

Because of the size of the baby (which makes natural childbirth difficult, if not impossible) your doctor may insist on a Caesarean delivery.

Assisted delivery, using forceps, vacuum, etc, may also be an option for you.

However, this will still pose the same risks to your body as normal childbirth (vaginal tears, longer recovery, complications).

How Will Your Doctor Induce Labour?

Because it’s now imperative that you give birth, your doctor will prescribe any number of medications to induce contractions.

You may be offered several options based on what the doctor recommends. Some of these methods are more uncomfortable than others.

According to this study, some of the most popular ones include ripening the cervix, rupturing the amniotic sac and using medication to start contractions.

  • Medication: the least invasive labour induction method, is an oxytocin injection. The most widely used synthetic version of the hormone, Pitocin, is used to induce contractions and jump start labour.
  • Ripening the cervix: Your doctor will apply medication to soften and expand your cervix. Another method known as stripping the membranes involves sweeping a gloved finger over the covering of the amniotic sac near the foetus, separating the sac from the cervix and the uterine wall.
  • Rupturing the amniotic sac: Your doctor will artificially cause your water to break by releasing amniotic fluid if the sac is still intact.

It’s Now or Never

Pregnancies that last for as long as 42 weeks is usually the last straw.

Your doctor will want to get that baby out of you ASAP. Otherwise, it will endanger both you and your unborn child.

If you’re not able to naturally induce labour, then medication is the next step. With any luck, your baby will come out ready to face the world.

You’ve got this, mummies!

References
  1. 45.499201716159, -122.6867232. OHSU. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.ohsu.edu/providers/aaron-b-caughey-md-phd
  2. Carlson, N., Ellis, J., Page, K., Dunn Amore, A., & Phillippi, J. (2021, July). Review of evidence-based methods for successful labor induction. Journal of midwifery & women’s health. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8363560/
  3. Caughey, A. B., Stotland, N. E., Washington, A. E., & Escobar, G. J. (2007, February). Maternal and obstetric complications of pregnancy are associated with increasing gestational age at term. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1941614/#:~:text=Condensation,beyond%2040%20weeks%20of%20gestation.
  4. Dysmaturity. Dysmaturity – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/biochemistry-genetics-and-molecular-biology/dysmaturity
  5. Galal, M., Symonds, I., Murray, H., Petraglia, F., & Smith, R. (2012). Postterm pregnancy. Facts, views & vision in ObGyn. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3991404/
  6. Home. drmgalal. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.drmgalal.com/
  7. Marcin, A. (2019, December 19). How to do perineal massage: Oils to use, benefits, more. Healthline. Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/perineal-massage#:~:text=Perineal%20massage%20is%20the%20act,the%20help%20of%20your%20partner.
  8. Monfredini, C., Cavallin, F., Villani, P. E., Paterlini, G., Allais, B., & Trevisanuto, D. (2021, March 17). Meconium aspiration syndrome: A narrative review. Children (Basel, Switzerland). Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8002729/#:~:text=Definition%20of%20Meconium%20Aspiration%20Syndrome,typical%20radiological%20characteristics%20%5B1%5D.
  9. Oligohydramnios: Causes, symptoms, diagnosis & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. (n.d.). Retrieved January 30, 2023, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22179-oligohydramnios#:~:text=If%20you’re%20diagnosed%20with,Respiratory%20issues%20or%20underdeveloped%20lungs

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