Spontaneous labor after 41 weeks?

LeahRW · May 2011

My doctor mentioned at my appointment yesterday that they usually induce at 41 weeks because women usually don't go into labor on their own after that. I've already told her I'd sooner not be induced until 42 weeks, and she's fine with that, but I'm curious about her statement. Is it true that spontaneous labor is rare after 41 weeks?

MustanGTbaby13 · May 2011

Hmm. I don't know if I would believe that. I even just tried researching scholarly articles on it- and haven't found anything. I would ask your doc where she got her information.

Perhaps most women don't go into spontaneous labor after 41 weeks because they aren't "allowed" to- as their doctors have probably already induced them.

LindseyJW · May 2011

that is the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard!!! i'd like to see her basis for stating that spontaneous labor is rare after 41 weeks. perhaps in her practice it is rare, b/c she always induced moms before that.

the median length of gestation is a day over 41 weeks for first time moms. it is shorter than that for second+ pregnancies.

i think i would run run RUN from this doctor.

Mrs.Greeko · May 2011

Your doc is smoking some serious crack! The average gestation is 40 weeks which means that some babies are born before that and an almost equal number are born after that. I went into spontaneous labor at 41w4d. I told my doc I wouldn't consent to an induction until 42w. She looked at me funny, but consented.

Here's some stuff about the statistics as far as when babies are born.

https://www.transitiontoparenthood.com/ttp/birthed/duedatespaper.htm

bestmaid6 · May 2011

In our childbirth classes we were told that on average, first time moms without any intervention go in to labor on their own at 41 weeks, 1 day. No personal experience yet, but I would stick to your guns about putting off induction until 42 weeks.

andrea922 · May 2011

This is bizarre. I went 15 days late with both my kids, I was induced with my son but went into spontaneous labor with my daughter at exactly 42 weeks.

pinksweetpea2 · May 2011

Your doctor is full of *** or just plain ignorant about how our bodies actually work when you don't interfere with the natural process. Either way I would not feel comfortable with someone who is passing on this mis-information as "facts."

The average for first time Moms is 41 weeks and 3 days- for there to be an average there has to be folks on both ends of the spectrum. How could this be the average if most women were unable to go into labor on their own after 41 weeks???

I was one of those women BTW...actually I went past 42 weeks and had my baby spontaneously at 43 weeks.

ashg8r · May 2011

Another spontaneous labor after 41 weeks - 41 weeks, 4 days. One of my good friends had her first at 41 and 5, and the second at 41 and 3. NEVER heard this before, I think it's just a line the OB uses to convince mom's to induce (if they need convincing.) Surprised she didn't try to scare you with the stillbirth factor - some study found a VERY slight increase after 41 weeks.

nosoup4u · May 2011

Ah jeez, what everyone else said. FWIW, I went into labor at 41w and 42w+ with my sons.

kesrya · May 2011

Ha ha ha ha ha ... get a new doctor, seriously ... I would seriously question the safety and skills of a doctor who said something so completely false and ridiculous. Maybe you misheard or misunderstood and he said something like "most doctors nowadays don't let women go into spontaneous labor after 41 weeks" - because the forced induction rate at or immediately after EDD is rising fast. But if your doctor actually meant that spontaneous labor doesn't happen after 41 weeks - what the heck does he think happens? The baby just stays in there forever???

As all the PP said, the average length of first time, normal pregnancy with no intervention is closer to 42 weeks, second time, normal pregnancy is closer to 41 weeks. The "40 week" due date was set by a doctor about 100 years ago and is no longer considered very accurate.

I went into spontaneous labor at 42 weeks and 6 days and delivered at home at 43 weeks and 1 day.

mmks · May 2011

Just to throw in my 2 cents...I went into labor at 41 weeks 1 day and delivered at 41 weeks 3 days. I can and does happen!

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