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Birth injuries: What constitutes a full-term pregnancy?

Welcoming a new family member into the world is usually a very exciting experience. In preparing for birth, expecting parents might take every precaution to help ensure the health of their child. In this process, mothers might rely on the advice they receive from their doctor. Failure to provide sound medical guidance can have very serious consequences for mothers and their children.

It's common knowledge that babies born too early are susceptible to a whole host of medical issues, which is why doctors provide medical help to allow women carry their children to term. A "term pregnancy," according to a report in the New York Times, is typically defined as one that lasts between 37 and 42 weeks.

Physicians with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine are looking to push back against some dangers they feel are associated with the traditional definition of term pregnancy. They have noticed a trend of doctors inducing labor at the 37-week mark without a sound medical reason.

Even though 37 to 42 weeks is considered a "safe" window for birth, there are additional risks for birth injuries when labor is induced before 40 weeks. The last couple weeks of pregnancy are critical for lung and brain development, so an extra week or two could make a major difference in the health of a baby in some cases.

The doctors leading this effort have suggested more accurately defining "term pregnancy" by splitting it into multiple categories: early term, fully term, late term and post term. They believe more accurate definitions could help doctors make better informed decisions. Of course, there are certain instances in which inducing labor early is medically beneficial, but those decisions should be made only after careful consideration.

Source: The New York Times, "Rethinking 'Term Pregnancy'," Jane E. Brody, Nov. 11, 2013

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