How many weeks of pregnancy is normal for childbirth

For expectant parents, they really want to know how many weeks of pregnancy it will take to give birth. So, how many weeks of pregnancy is normal for giving birth? Next, this article will introduce to you the relevant content about how many weeks of pregnancy it is normal to give birth, for your reference only. If you want to know how many weeks of pregnancy it is normal to give birth, please continue reading! Please see the detailed introduction below.

How many weeks of pregnancy is normal for giving birth? Generally speaking, it is normal to give birth between 38 and 42 weeks. The expected date of delivery is calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period. The entire pregnancy period is 280 days, or 10 gestational months (each gestational month is 28 days). Pregnant women give birth between 38 and 42 weeks of gestation, which is considered full-term. Since the length of each woman's menstrual cycle is different, it is normal for the estimated due date to differ from the actual due date by 1 to 2 weeks.

Premature birth: Premature birth refers to delivery between 28 weeks and less than 37 weeks of gestation. The newborn delivered at this time is called a premature baby, weighing 1000 to 2499g. Premature births account for 5% to 15% of all births in China. About 15% of premature infants die in the neonatal period. In recent years, due to the progress in the treatment and monitoring of premature babies, their survival rate has increased significantly and the disability rate has decreased. Foreign scholars have suggested that the upper limit of the definition of premature birth be advanced to 20 weeks of gestation.

How to avoid premature birth? There are some signs before premature labor starts naturally. If you can identify and pay attention to these early symptoms, seek medical treatment in time, and take certain measures, a considerable number of premature births can be avoided. These signs include waves of uterine contractions, hardening of the entire uterus, and a feeling of abdominal bloating or lower back pain. These contractions are different from the physiological contractions that often occur in the late pregnancy. Physiological contractions are painless, irregular, and sometimes occur and sometimes not. The contractions that can lead to premature birth will continue to intensify, causing regular abdominal pain and often accompanied by a small amount of vaginal bleeding. Pregnant women with a history of miscarriage, premature birth or birth trauma should pay more attention because they are more likely to have premature birth.

Post-term pregnancy: A pregnancy that reaches or exceeds 42 weeks is called a post-term pregnancy. Its incidence accounts for 5% to 12% of the total number of pregnancies. The perinatal morbidity and mortality rates of the fetus in post-term pregnancy increase and worsen as the pregnancy progresses. At 43 weeks of pregnancy, the perinatal mortality rate is three times the normal rate. At 44 weeks, it is 5 times normal. The risk of a fetus in a primipara with a post-term pregnancy is increased compared to that in a multipara. The hazards to the fetus and mother include fetal distress, decreased amniotic fluid volume, difficult delivery, and injury.

How to avoid post-term pregnancy? With regular prenatal checkups and the close monitoring and guidance of a doctor, post-term pregnancy can be completely avoided. For those who have delayed delivery after the due date, the doctor will evaluate the pregnant woman and the fetus. If the fetus is huge, the mother's pelvis is small, vaginal delivery is difficult, or placental function tests show decreased, selective cesarean section will be considered. If the fetal head is proportional to the mother's pelvis, the cervix is ​​in good condition, and the placenta is functioning normally, the woman can be admitted to the hospital within one to ten days after the due date and have artificial labor induced. After applying these methods, the baby is delivered within 1 to 3 days, thus avoiding the occurrence of overdue pregnancy.

The above is some information about how many weeks of pregnancy it is normal to give birth. I believe that after reading the above introduction, you already know how many weeks of pregnancy it is normal to give birth. Generally speaking, it is normal to give birth between 38 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. If the baby is born between 28 and 37 weeks of pregnancy, it is considered premature. If the baby hasn't been born by 42 weeks, it is considered a post-term pregnancy. Therefore, it is very important for pregnant friends to do a good job of pregnancy check-ups, so as to effectively prevent premature birth and post-term pregnancy.