Length of pregnancy can vary by up to five weeks, scientists discover

ElTrain5 · January 2014

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/length-of-pregnancy-can-vary-by-up-to-five-weeks-scientists-discover-8749081.html

"In a group of 125 women, they found the average time from ovulation to birth was 268 days - 38 weeks and two days - and that the length of pregnancies varied by as much as 37 days, according to the research, published today in the journal Human Reproduction."

Just goes to show that babies "cook" at different rates. Something to keep in mind if your provider is putting pressure on you to induce for being a day or two over your "guess date".

Sareynoo · January 2014

I believe this. DD came out at 36 weeks and she was a normal weight (7 lbs). Maybe 9 months is average?

ElTrain5 · January 2014

According to the article, they had previously believed that there was a natural variation, but 1) The thought it was largely due to not having accurate conception dates and 2) The thought the variation was much smaller. Interesting stuff!

Sareynoo · January 2014

It is, thanks for posting!

ElTrain5 · January 2014

It's just amazing how many doctors induce based ONLY on the "due date". A friend of mine was recently induced at 40 weeks 5 days. She had zero medical issues, fluid and baby size all checked out fine. Her body was NOT ready for induction (they do this "score" thing, I can't remember exactly what it's called, but they check the baby's position, dilation, effacement, texture of the cervix and a few other things to see how well you would respond to an induction) and she was zero on everything. But they went ahead and put her on Pitocin anyway, and (of course), nothing happened, she barely dilated at all, no contractions. So they just went ahead and gave her a C-section, which she REALLY wanted to avoid. It's just scary to think that her baby may have been born just fine, no complications, if they had just been patient and monitored her for any changes/problems. Happens more often than one would think.

Katieluc106 · January 2014

DD came exactly two weeks late. I went for my appt the day before, was on a Wednesday. And they weren't going to talk induction until the following Monday. 1am Thursday labor started and I had her in my arms by 2. I was a big advocate for letting her come when she wanted. No one has ever been pregnant forever. Haha

becomingmommyagain · January 2014

This could certainly be an explanation for spontaneous "preterm birth" as well. I've never made it past 36 weeks. This pregnancy I'm on the 17P shots to try to remain pregnant longer with a goal being 37 weeks. But all three of my prior pregnancies - considered preterm - were all healthy babies requiring no interventions. My youngest born at 32w3d only required support due to me having had GD. He required no oxygen or feeding tubes just a little sugar water to slowly wean him since his body had become accustomed to my elevated blood sugar.

wtfisup · January 2014

A few things:

When they say that 70% are born within 10 days of the DD, does that mean up to 10 days before or after, or 5 days in either direction?
I wish there were a more detailed representation. For instance, the 37 day range: are there only a couple of people at the far ends of the spectrum? Or is it distributed less erratically? For instance, if visually represented, would there be a essentially a hump (read: surge) around the due date, with a gradual taper? radical taper? toward either ends? Is it symmetrical, meaning as many folks go x-days after and y-days before? I NEED MOAR INFO, PLZ.

Cherylwang · January 2014

I do think doctors jump the gun too early. Personally I have gone into labor at 38 weeks on my own with my first two. (Hoping that will happen again) I have heard that after 40 weeks they did a study that the placenta is no longer providing the proper nutrients for baby. So I think that's why the docs are inducing early. But I don't know if that's true or not.

ElTrain5 · January 2014

https://thepregnantscientist.com/

Here is another interesting article that summarizes some of the latest data related to due dates.

(and @joules325, she has a post about nitrous oxide during labor a little further down too! I love this girl!)

robbinrl · January 2014

becomingmommyagain said:

This could certainly be an explanation for spontaneous "preterm birth" as well. I've never made it past 36 weeks. This pregnancy I'm on the 17P shots to try to remain pregnant longer with a goal being 37 weeks. But all three of my prior pregnancies - considered preterm - were all healthy babies requiring no interventions. My youngest born at 32w3d only required support due to me having had GD. He required no oxygen or feeding tubes just a little sugar water to slowly wean him since his body had become accustomed to my elevated blood sugar.

MIL had all her babies early. DH was born 5 weeks early (35 weeks I guess) with no complications (except for eventually developing jaundice) and was over 7 lbs. His twin brothers were also 5 weeks early and weighed something like 5 and 6 lbs with no issues. She was doing fertility treatments with DH so they knew exactly when he was conceived.

austinlyns · January 2014

I believe this! I have a friend who had all 3 babies about a month early, but they were all normal weight and didn't need any extra medical care. It is like she just cooks babies faster than most people!

mrs_drc_rn · January 2014

I knew the date we conceived so our due date is spot-on, but Junior has been measuring ahead at all of our scans. I'm hoping comes early or "on time" because I don't want pressure to be induced. Every pregnancy is different and of course babies will grow at varying rates so I don't think doctors should jump to inductions if you're past your due date (which most times is really a guess) if there's no medical reason for it.

Rosebud2587 · January 2014

I believe it. DD was born at 42 weeks. I thought she was going to be huge but she came out at 6lbs 14oz. She did look a little over cooked though...

ETA: I know DD was a true 42 weeker since DH was only home for 1 weekend the month we conceived.

ElTrain5 · January 2014

Rosebud2587 said:

I believe it. DD was born at 42 weeks. I thought she was going to be huge but she came out at 6lbs 14oz. She did look a little over cooked though...

ETA: I know DD was a true 42 weeker since DH was only home for 1 weekend the month we conceived.

Ok, I gotta ask....how exactly does one look "overcooked"? lol

SecondTimeinMSU · January 2014

Mine too, but I already share it with my niece so a triple birthday party might be just amusing at this point

Rosebud2587 · January 2014

@ElTrain5

Well she was really wrinkly and her skin was cracked pealing all over. I don't know. The Dr. said that happens because they lose all the vernix and basically start to pickle in the amniotic fluid.

iris427 · January 2014

I love when studies come out saying something obvious that everyone already knows.

But agreed that this is good information to have in case you are getting pressure to induce at 40 weeks (BTDT).

iris427 · January 2014

ElTrain5 said:

Rosebud2587 said:

I believe it. DD was born at 42 weeks. I thought she was going to be huge but she came out at 6lbs 14oz. She did look a little over cooked though...

ETA: I know DD was a true 42 weeker since DH was only home for 1 weekend the month we conceived.
Ok, I gotta ask....how exactly does one look "overcooked"? lol

Babies that are truly postterm can have certain characteristics, like wrinkled or cracked skin, really long nails, less lanugo, etc.

rainbowdashh · January 2014

I went to 41w3d with my daughter before I was induced. I was told she looked overcooked too haha. She had no vernix on her and had really wrinkly/peely skin.

I fully expect to go that long again! I read this article when I was overdue with her and if I based her due date off of this info, then she was born on her due date instead of being over a week "late".

https://m.voices.yahoo.com/the-lie-edd-why-due-date-isnt-you-1958162.html

wtfisup · January 2014

ohyealovely said:

I went to 41w3d with my daughter before I was induced. I was told she looked overcooked too haha. She had no vernix on her and had really wrinkly/peely skin. I fully expect to go that long again! I read this article when I was overdue with her and if I based her due date off of this info, then she was born on her due date instead of being over a week "late". https://m.voices.yahoo.com/the-lie-edd-why-due-date-isnt-you-1958162.html

Hmm. That would have me due on June 19 instead of 11.

kbellizio3 · January 2014

I'm like @BrightEyes112 where I'm hoping baby doesn't come around 38 weeks because my birthday is two weeks before my EDD. No sharing! 38 wk 1 day is totally cool though. Baby was measuring big at the 12 week scan so we'll see next week on the a/s. this is an interesting article but makes perfect sense that babies would cook at different rates

starsinger17 · January 2014

My son was born at 38w2d and had incredibly long nails and weighed 8lbs 9oz. I am in no way worried about this baby being underdone so I'm scheduling my RCS for 39w1d.
I would probably wait til my due date if my husband wasn't deployed. I want to have as much help as possible and scheduling it instead of waiting is more convenient.

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Length of pregnancy can vary by up to five weeks, scientists discover

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