37 weeks is not full term!

Sbuxtonteaches · July 2015

I definitely searched for this before posting and didn't find a thread dedicated to this - but I think the Bump needs a little update! March of
Dimes considers a woman full term at 39 weeks - not 37. I also get emails from babycenter - and they were accurate and on point that while I am 37 weeks today, I am NOT full term and my baby has plenty of growing and developing to do. Shame on the bump - update your information so that expectant mamas can stop hoping their babies come early!

CaliforniaDream87 · July 2015

I can't love this post enough!! I hate the phrase "full term" anyway. There is tons of research that shows the development that takes place between week 37-40.

acgonzalez22 · July 2015

I too love this! I am having a difficult time gaining weight and LO is very small gestational wise. (about a month behind in weight). My OB is adamant the baby cook as long as possible to get to 39 weeks. However, there are other risk factors in which I might have to go earlier. But, she has very strong opinions on the major development that takes place from 37 weeks on.

ssmith2006 · July 2015

For us high risk mamas, the docs do tell us that 37w is considered full term because for some of us there are higher risk in waiting until 39 or 40. Every pregnancy is different. I wish they would let me go to the end but 38w is all i get!

kelseyrayay · July 2015

PREACH!!!!

cseley321 · July 2015

There are surely exceptions to the rule, but some women will try and rush the process for no reason.

My neighbor who has grown children now claims that for the last one she had her doctor agree to deliver the baby early because she was so uncomfortable. The baby ended up in the NICU for quite a while and still has breathing problems now as a young kid. It may or may not be due to the early delivery, but she said she deeply regrets that decision now.

CaliforniaDream87 · July 2015

ssmith2006 said:
For us high risk mamas, the docs do tell us that 37w is considered full term because for some of us there are higher risk in waiting until 39 or 40. Every pregnancy is different. I wish they would let me go to the end but 38w is all i get!

Of course this doesn't apply to high risk pregnancies. My response is geard toward low risk pregnancies with no complications-there really aren't any exclusions. Baby comes when baby is ready.

Startingagain2015 · July 2015

I think there is some debate over this. I asked my dr yesterday about this and she said 37 weeks is still full term. Although I'm tired of being pregnant I'll gladly wait until 40 weeks to deliver.

mriee · July 2015

In Spain and France they apprerently don't consider you full term till 42 weeks (I think)
I think they say 37 weeks is full term because the risk of complications for mother and baby drops dramatically. The longer they are in there the better but then again I was told the placenta stops working properly at 40 weeks so going any longer can also be risky.

banfrog · July 2015

My Dr, hospital, and our insurance refers to 37 weeks as "late preterm"

cailin85 · July 2015

I'm in Ireland, for us you are considered term at 37 weeks because you have to have a point where it is ok for women to spontaneously delivery without it being considered preterm. This is particularly important if a woman's waters break. If she is 36 weeks she will be treated differently than if she were 37 weeks. It's important to have these definitions to determine appropriate care! It is acceptable for a baby to be born at 37 weeks but it is certainly not a reason for an inappropriate induction or section!

gotdiesel2007 · July 2015

Just to be clear these new recommendations were updated by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine so does not apply to those outside the US as there may be different standards.

https://m.acog.org/About-ACOG/News-Room/News-Releases/2013/Ob-Gyns-Redefine-Meaning-of-Term-Pregnancy?IsMobileSet=true

holli0801 · July 2015

cailin85 said:
I'm in Ireland, for us you are considered term at 37 weeks because you have to have a point where it is ok for women to spontaneously delivery without it being considered preterm. This is particularly important if a woman's waters break. If she is 36 weeks she will be treated differently than if she were 37 weeks. It's important to have these definitions to determine appropriate care! It is acceptable for a baby to be born at 37 weeks but it is certainly not a reason for an inappropriate induction or section!

Agree. Plus, many EDD are off + or - 2 weeks. Im all about baby coming when he is ready. At 37 weeks I would feel pretty comfortable not stopping labor if it starts.

CaliforniaDream87 · July 2015

gotdiesel2007 said:
Just to be clear these new recommendations were updated by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine so does not apply to those outside the US as there may be different standards.

https://m.acog.org/About-ACOG/News-Room/News-Releases/2013/Ob-Gyns-Redefine-Meaning-of-Term-Pregnancy?IsMobileSet=true

This is a great article! I wish we could pin this considering how many "I'm 37 weeks time to induce labor" post.

xsunshinelady15 · July 2015

People get "full term" and FULLY DEVELOPED mixed up. The terms should not be used interchangeably! There is a HUGE difference. I want my baby fully developed!

breezymeema7 · July 2015

My doctors, in Canada, call 37 weeks "term" and 40 weeks "full term." The goal always being full term.

ssmith2006 · July 2015

CaliforniaDream87 said:

ssmith2006 said:
For us high risk mamas, the docs do tell us that 37w is considered full term because for some of us there are higher risk in waiting until 39 or 40. Every pregnancy is different. I wish they would let me go to the end but 38w is all i get!
Of course this doesn't apply to high risk pregnancies. My response is geard toward low risk pregnancies with no complications-there really aren't any exclusions. Baby comes when baby is ready.

Agreed. Any mamas with a healthy, low risk pregnancy should be thankful that they are able to let baby cook as long as baby wants.

lifesabeach85 · July 2015

Yes!!!!! So glad more doctors are not getting antsy anymore (or caving to moms who are antsy) for inductions at 38w... Or even 40w... As pp have mentioned sometimes we can be wrong about our ovulation dates! Baby will come when baby is ready...

AWarford · July 2015

I'm a L&D nurse and a term baby is 37 weeks. That being said we won't deliver your baby until medically necessary! We won't do elective inductions at our hospital unless you meet a certain criteria and that's at LEAST 39 weeks. Yes your baby will continue to develop during those last few weeks, but that doesn't mean they still aren't term if they happen to deliver at 37 weeks.

irohspupil · July 2015

@AWarford I don't know if you can answer this, but I thought I'd shoot it at you anyways. What's the difference between a baby developing inside mom between weeks 37 and 40 and developing those same weeks outside of mom? Is development harder?
Just so all Bump mommies know why those last few weeks are so important.

Sbuxtonteaches · July 2015

I thought this was helpful.

https://www.utswmedicine.org/stories/articles/year-2015/pregnancy-wait-39-weeks.html

kburgo47 · July 2015

Thank you!! I liked that article

deviduke412 · July 2015

breezymeema7 said:
My doctors, in Canada, call 37 weeks "term" and 40 weeks "full term." The goal always being full term.

How did I not know you are in Canada!?!?

laurasuzanne2006 · July 2015

I think this is so important and to understand the difference between early term and full term. Yes it is usually ok for babies to be born early term but full term is best

breezymeema7 · July 2015

@deviduke412 you betcha

100% Canadian. Are you?

DaddyMx · July 2015

T H A N K Y O U for this wonderful article! My mom and sister are continously telling me that arriving at 40 weeks is very risky (!!!); and I keep telling them that the most time you are in the womb the better... I will post it on facebook as a "hint".

cupcake082015 · July 2015

@breezymeema7 @deviduke412 Me too! I'm from Regina SK.

usernameneededallaretaken · July 2015

I have had sooo many people say to me, "don't you hope he comes early?" "Do you think he'll be early" and similar..

As miserable as I am, I do hope he is FULL term and FULLY developed when he decides to come along. My Dr commented on Tuesday that he will "let" me go to 41 weeks but no longer than that. No idea what his reasoning is, but I won't complain.

dkizz82 · July 2015

I'm guilty in wanting my little one here early. I kept saying 38/39'weeks. BUT my nephew was just born at 34 weeks and watching him struggle to breathe,
I am so grateful little miss is staying put. I'm 36 weeks and am glad for her to come when she's ready!

annaw14 · July 2015

usernameneededallaretaken said:
I have had sooo many people say to me, "don't you hope he comes early?" "Do you think he'll be early" and similar..

As miserable as I am, I do hope he is FULL term and FULLY developed when he decides to come along. My Dr commented on Tuesday that he will "let" me go to 41 weeks but no longer than that. No idea what his reasoning is, but I won't complain.

In my understanding the risks of going too much post term are mainly shoulder dystocia (which can quickly become life threatening to the baby) and meconium aspiration. As a NICU nurse I've seen tragic situations arise from both. But I also agree going the full 40 is best for baby! It's all a balancing act.

Robin910 · July 2015

usernameneededallaretaken said:
I have had sooo many people say to me, "don't you hope he comes early?" "Do you think he'll be early" and similar..

As miserable as I am, I do hope he is FULL term and FULLY developed when he decides to come along. My Dr commented on Tuesday that he will "let" me go to 41 weeks but no longer than that. No idea what his reasoning is, but I won't complain.

My doc said the same thing. His reasoning is that current research supports the idea that babies born between 39-41 weeks have the best health outcomes. Being born earlier or later than that window increases their odds of having a medical problem.

jesicabrennan · July 2015

Oh relax, 37 weeks being called full term just means no one is going to stop labor if it starts, and if you're high risk you can finally relax that your baby is fully developed should the need arise to get baby out immediately. It also means that it's fine to start "encouraging" labor, not induce, at home as nothing one does at home can actually have any effect unless baby is ready.
Nobody wants a preterm baby but there are valid reasons to want a baby to come earlier than one's EDD. First go round I really wanted baby to stay in until 41 weeks, this time I have to get on a plane on a certain date and I REALLY don't want to do it with a 2 week old baby, so yes, I want my baby to come at 38-39 weeks! Relax with the judgement!

CaliforniaDream87 · July 2015

Sbuxtonteaches said:
I thought this was helpful.

https://www.utswmedicine.org/stories/articles/year-2015/pregnancy-wait-39-weeks.html

Another great article!

Also, OP I don't think you're "judging" anyone. Facts are facts.

myost81 · July 2015

Due to a high risk pregnancy I'm scheduled for a c-section at 37 weeks. I have a great doctor and trust her, but I'm still a little worried that my little guy won't be ready.

schup156 · July 2015

I went to 41 weeks with my first pregnancy, and even though my body was miserable towards the end, I'm realizing even more how grateful I am my daughter was able to come when she was ready. We found out recently that this little one is having some heart complications and so the high risk OB doc wants to schedule an induction. Mainly so that delivery will occur where the specialists all are in case she'll need additional care. If they start to notice her heart becoming more stressed, they may schedule the induction even sooner. The earliest they've talked about is 37 weeks but I think the goal is to wait until 38-39 weeks. I'm scared of the induction in general and not being able to go into labor on my own. But reading all about how critical those last weeks of gestation are, makes me even more worried about bringing baby girl into the world early. I'm feeling so stressed coming into the end of this pregnancy...I obviously want what is best for baby, but I really wish that she was able to just come on her own!

Miz_Liz · July 2015

@myost81 do not stress yourself out - no one on here is talking about it being too early for high risk pregnancies. In cases such as yours, I am sure that Dr's weigh all of the risks and benefits and they go with the scenario that is least risky to mom and baby. There is a huge difference between cases such as yours and people with low risk perfectly healthy babies who want their baby out early just because they are anxious. I am sure that you and baby will do great, when you get nervous remind yourself that the Dr's know what they are doing and there are babies born way earlier than that every day who end up doing great.

CaliforniaDream87 · July 2015

Miz_Liz said:
@myost81 do not stress yourself out - no one on here is talking about it being too early for high risk pregnancies. In cases such as yours, I am sure that Dr's weigh all of the risks and benefits and they go with the scenario that is least risky to mom and baby. There is a huge difference between cases such as yours and people with low risk perfectly healthy babies who want their baby out early just because they are anxious. I am sure that you and baby will do great, when you get nervous remind yourself that the Dr's know what they are doing and there are babies born way earlier than that every day who end up doing great.

Agreed. As mentioned, I'm sure this post isn't geard toward high risk pregnancies. That's an entirely different story from women who want their babies out early (anytime before baby is ready) for their convenance.

TallMomma29 · July 2015

I REALLY hate the phrase "baby will come when baby is ready." While I don't think anyone should be rushing their baby out early just because they are uncomfortable or anxious to meet their little one, I think that statement is just not true. Tons of babies come before they are ready, or well after they would have been just fine on the outside. I think it unnecessarily adds extra anxiety and guilt for moms who have premie babies or ultimately have to be induced because the baby won't come on his/her own.

gmd88 · July 2015

My doc told me last week that 37 is considered full term but ultimately they are more comfortable with baby reaching at least 38.

deviduke412 · July 2015

@breezymeema7, nope. I'm in good Ol' Pennsylvania. I think I just forget that this is an international board and you are one of the active posters on here and I just always assumed you were in the U.S.

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