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Overdue pregnancy: What to do when baby's overdue
An overdue pregnancy can leave you tired and anxious. Find out what may cause an overdue pregnancy and what it might mean for you and your baby.
By Mayo Clinic staffYour due date has come and gone — and you're still pregnant. What's going on?
Although your due date may seem to have magical qualities, it's simply an educated guess about when your baby is most likely to arrive. It's perfectly normal to give birth one to two weeks before — or after — your due date. In fact, your pregnancy must continue two weeks past your due date to earn the official label of overdue pregnancy, also known as post-term pregnancy.
Enough already!
You may be more likely to have an overdue pregnancy if:
- The exact date of the start of your last menstrual period isn't known
- This is your first pregnancy
- You've had prior overdue pregnancies
- Overdue pregnancy runs in your family
- Your baby is a boy
Rarely, overdue pregnancy may be related to problems with the placenta or the baby.
Whatever the cause, you're probably tired of being pregnant by this point. Your back may ache, and your ankles may be swollen. You may be struggling with heartburn and hemorrhoids. You may have trouble sleeping because you simply can't get comfortable — or anxiety about childbirth may keep you awake.
Rest assured, an overdue pregnancy won't last forever. Labor may begin at any time.
Keeping an eye on your pregnancy
Prenatal care will continue after you pass your due date. Your health care provider will watch for signs of complications, such as preeclampsia. He or she will also check your cervix to see if it's begun to thin and dilate in preparation for labor. If you're more than one week past your due date, your health care provider may track your baby's heartbeat with an electronic fetal monitor or use ultrasound to observe your baby's movements and measure the amount of amniotic fluid.
Next page(1 of 2)
- Norwitz ER. Patient information: Postterm pregnancy. http://patients.uptodate.com/topic.asp?file=pregnan/5708. Accessed March 20, 2009.
- What to expect after your due date. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. http://www.acog.org/publications/patient_education/bp069.cfm. Accessed March 20, 2009.
- Healthy pregnancy. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/you-are-pregnant/stages-of-pregnancy.cfm#c. Accessed March 31, 2009.
- Inducing labor. March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/pnhec/240_20202.asp. Accessed March 31, 2009.
- Routine prenatal care. Bloomington, Minn.: Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement. Accessed April 9, 2009.
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Committee on Practice Bulletins - Obstetrics. Management of postterm pregnancy. ACOG Practice Bulletin. 2004;104:639.
- Jetti A, et al. Prolonged pregnancy. Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine. 2008;18:7.
- Murry MM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. April 23, 2009.
