Pregnancy - your lucky nine months

Time for new discoveries

It turns out that not a single woman can independently calculate the day when her baby will see this light. Even if you determine the date of the birth date as accurately as possible and remember the day of conception, this still does not mean anything. And all because no one knows for sure how fast this or that sperm turned out to be, how many days the egg moved through the tubes and when exactly the implantation of the embryo occurred.

Moreover, for each woman these processes can occur in their own way and take a different amount of time. But obstetricians managed to calculate the “golden mean” and more or less accurately say how many days the pregnancy lasts.

The answer is right in front of you! Pregnancy in women lasts 280 days or 40 weeks from the start of the last menstruation. According to the usual calendar, this is about 9 months, and according to the medical calendar - about 10. Some deviations are allowed in this period - 10 days in one direction or another. It turns out that a baby born between 266 and 294 days or 38 and 42 weeks is also considered full-term.

What if you really want to?

Of course, a woman would not be a woman if she did not try to find out at least the approximate date of birth. Well, this can be done using the three most common methods.

• Method 1

Calculations using Naegele's formula. Add nine months and seven days to the date of the first day of your last period. This will give you an approximate due date. If you count according to a simplified version, then you need to count three months from the first day of the last menstruation and add seven to the resulting number.

• Method 2

Calculations based on the time of fetal movement. In this case, it is necessary to add up the date of the first movements and 5 obstetric months for the first birth and 5.5 obstetric months for repeated births. But remember that every woman feels these same movements at different stages of pregnancy.

• Method 3

Calculations based on the date of ovulation, that is, on the only day in the month when a couple can conceive a child. But here the following question often arises: “How to calculate the day of ovulation?” As a rule, ovulation occurs on the 14th day of the menstrual cycle, if the cycle itself lasts exactly 28 days. This calculation is very simple, but it is suitable only for those women who have had an absolutely accurate cycle for six months.

When you decide to use this method, keep in mind one more very important fact - if your menstrual cycle exceeds 28 days, then along with it the duration of pregnancy increases (approximately 1:1).

Block automatically

Senior lecturer at the Department of Civil Law and Process at Synergy University, Alexander Alekseev, notes that teenage hookers are driven by “a false sense of reckless prowess and the desire to post on the Internet a video or photograph of their extreme ride on a commuter train, to show off the coolness.”

Roskomnadzor blocked more than 330 online communities of hookers

“The press proposed the idea of ​​installing a special application on teenagers’ smartphones that would block the audio and video capabilities of the device when it is near railway tracks and inform parents that the child is in a danger zone. It seems to me that eliminating the opportunity to take a selfie on a moving train will significantly reduce a teenager’s desire to ride trains,” says Alexander Alekseev in an interview with Izvestia.

In 2020, Roskomnadzor stated that the propaganda of hooking on social networks had been reduced to zero. Then information about hooking was removed by resource administrations from 387 groups and communities based on court decisions. Izvestia asked the department’s press service to clarify how active groups of hookers are now on social networks, what are the current statistics on blocked resources, but at the time of publication they did not receive a response. According to the leader of the all-Russian movement "Strong Russia" Anton Tsvetkov, in general, the hook has always been there and it is too early to celebrate victory over it - there is enough information on the Internet.

Circus and tanks: how difficult teenagers are saved in Russia

Do programs to help children at social risk work?

“To defeat hooking, it is necessary to block any information about hooking on social networks and the Internet,” the expert tells Izvestia. - And not at the level of “social activists saw and are seeking blocking through the prosecutor’s office,” but at the program level - to identify within a second and automatically block. Zatseping cannot be recognized as extremism, but perhaps information about it should be blocked as life-threatening.”

Post-maturity - how much?

Post-term or prolonged pregnancy is a pregnancy that lasts 10-14 days longer than expected.

Many pregnant women do not see anything wrong with the fact that their child will be born a little later than the scheduled date. And they do this completely in vain, because postmaturity often becomes a source of serious health problems not only for the woman in labor, but also for the child. This situation requires urgent stimulation!

Signs of prolonged pregnancy

In what cases are we talking about post-maturity of the fetus, and not about a banal medical error?

1. A sharp decrease in the volume of amniotic fluid. This is the first signal about the development of weak labor;
2. The absence of so-called “anterior waters” near the baby’s head, which slow down the dilation of the cervix;
3. The uterus is unprepared for childbirth (at 40 weeks);
4. The dense bones of the baby's skull, fontanelles and narrow sutures also complicate the pushing period and make childbirth very difficult;
5. Complete absence or a small amount of cheese-like lubricant flakes in the amniotic fluid (according to ultrasound results);
6. Aging of the placenta;
7. Amniotic fluid cloudy from meconium and the baby's first intestinal discharge.

Giving birth later than expected: why is it dangerous?

Home » Pregnancy and childbirth » Giving birth later than expected: why is it dangerous?

The fact that the consequences of this delay are not so well known is not surprising, since premature births occur much more often than late births, which occur in only 5-8% of cases. In addition, there is nothing amazing about late birth, but a lot is said about the care of premature babies and medical advances in this area. And I must say, the achievements in this area are truly amazing.

Just don’t forget that no less effort is required from doctors to help a newborn who has suffered from a lack of oxygen due to a delayed birth. Let's see how this deficit appears.

It is believed that by the 38th week of life, the organs and systems of the unborn baby inside the mother are fully formed, which means that he is ready to be born. From now until 40 weeks, doctors patiently wait for his birth. When the 41st week comes, and the little one is still in no hurry, the doctor who is managing the pregnancy begins to worry. There is a good reason for this, as we already know: the longer the wait, the higher the likelihood that the baby will suffer from a lack of oxygen (hypoxia). You can find out more about hypoxia here.

Why? Starting from the 38th week of pregnancy, the placenta, which delivers the baby from the mother the necessary nutrients (including oxygen), as if having completed its mission, gradually ages.

Having been deprived of full support, the child does not feel as comfortable in his mother’s belly as before. At this moment, the woman notices that the baby has begun to move less or has quieted down completely. Such babies are often born with signs of chronic hypoxia: their reflexes and muscle tone are reduced, they sleep poorly, suckle sluggishly and are slower than their more fortunate peers to adapt to new living conditions, gain weight, and their immune system copes worse with its role as a protector. It must be said that a prolonged pregnancy can also cause problems for the expectant mother. In these women, the amniotic fluid often breaks prematurely, and they require the help of medications in order for labor to finally begin. In some patients, there is so little water that the fetal bladder becomes flat, and it has to be opened before the due date for childbirth. In addition, the uterus does not contract as well as required, which is why the process can slow down and get confused both at the stage of contractions and pushing. After the birth of the baby, not too active contractions of the uterus risk leading to the fact that bloody discharge can linger in it, creating a very “comfortable” environment for the onset of inflammation - endometritis.

Tracking system

Fortunately, doctors prevent all these complications. In this they are helped by a variety of examination methods, which make it possible to determine whether the baby can remain in the mother’s stomach or whether it should be rushed.

From the 38th to the 40th week of pregnancy, a woman should see her doctor at least once a week. At the 38th week, the expectant mother will have to undergo a general obstetric examination. The doctor asks if anything is bothering her, if she has had any contractions (we are talking about false contractions that sometimes appear at the expected date of birth and then go away). Among other things, the midwife measures the height of the uterine fundus, abdominal circumference, and asks about weight gain. If these indicators do not increase, the doctor has reason to assume that the pregnancy is prolonging. Then the doctor examines the vagina and cervix to see if the mother’s birth canal is ready for an important event.

During this study, the doctor examines the baby, the thickness and degree of maturity of the placenta, the quantity and quality of amniotic fluid. If he notices that “islands” of calcareous deposits (calcification) have appeared on the placenta, and there is little water and flakes are floating in them, this will mean that the pregnancy has become post-term.

In addition to the ultrasound, the expectant mother is sent for a cardiac monitoring study to see how the baby is feeling. The doctor will pay attention to how the baby's heartbeat changes over time, depending on the mother's false contractions and his own movements. If the heart beats quickly, the line on the monitor rises and falls; when the baby moves or there is a contraction, this means that the child is in excellent condition and the course of events can not be rushed. Conversely, a constant rhythm gives reason to think that he is suffering from a lack of oxygen. In this situation, doctors may decide to start labor as soon as possible. If the deviations from the normal heart rhythm are small and the expectant mother does not want to force the development of events, the doctor will prescribe medications and call her again in a day to check how things are going. If everything goes well, it’s up to her to decide whether to speed up the onset of labor or give nature the right to act.

Having received cardiac monitoring data and supplemented with ultrasound results, the doctor will determine the biophysical profile of the fetus. He is interested in how often the little one breathes, what is his muscle tone, whether he is active enough, how he reacts to various stimuli: the mother’s movements, sound signals, how much amniotic fluid the patient has, what is the degree of maturity of the placenta. All this data is summed up and scored from 0 to 12 points. If the indicator is high (10-12), the baby is in good shape, which means he can still stay in his mother’s belly. The lower the baby scores on this scale (from 8 and below), the greater the risk that he experiences a lack of oxygen.

Amnioscopy, a study of the color, condition and amount of amniotic fluid and membranes of the amniotic sac, helps confirm or dispel doctors’ fears about the development of pregnancy. The doctor inserts a special device (amnioscope) into the cervix and points it at the amniotic sac to determine the color of the fluid and membranes. If you can see through the amniotic sac that the waters have turned yellow or brown, flakes are clearly visible in them (this is the loss of lubricant that should cover the baby’s body) and there are few of them, the diagnosis of “post-term pregnancy” will be confirmed. Light colored waters with no signs of flakes will mean everything is fine.

War Council

If it becomes clear that the pregnancy is dangerously prolonged, the doctor will need to determine whether labor can be induced. Doctors make the decision to start them depending on the results of all studies and with the consent of the expectant mother. Here it is important to take into account how the baby feels (according to the cardiac monitor and biophysical profile), what is the degree of aging of the placenta and the readiness of the cervix: is it ripe, that is, is it sufficiently dilated and shortened. If the expectant mother does not want to force the pace of events, the doctor will prescribe treatment and agree to wait, but will definitely call her for an examination the next day. He will try to explain to the woman that the longer the pregnancy drags on, the more likely it is that the baby will suffer from this. That is why, in the case of maturity of the cervix, doctors suggest that the expectant mother slightly speed up the process of the birth of the baby with the help of special medications and puncture of the amniotic sac.

And the last question that worries almost all mothers: in what cases do doctors decide to perform surgery? Don't worry, a post-term pregnancy in itself cannot be a reason for a cesarean section. It is done if it is combined with other circumstances complicating the birth process: hypoxia in the baby, serious disturbances in the functioning of the placenta (chronic placental insufficiency), premature rupture of amniotic fluid, or untreatable weakness of labor. Fortunately, all these difficulties can be avoided if you do not miss appointments with your doctor and follow his advice and prescriptions.

Why is a baby born late?

Experts identify two main reasons for prolonged pregnancy - medical and psychological.

The medical aspect involves the biological unpreparedness of the body for labor. In this case, post-maturity is due to the following factors:

• violation of the regulatory function of the ovaries and placenta;
• deficiency of vitamins P, C, E and group B;
• endocrine diseases;
• previous abortions;
• violation of fat metabolism;
• problems in the functioning of the genital organs;
• hormonal treatment for threatened miscarriage;
• frequent miscarriages;
• breech presentation of the fetus;
• late gestosis;
• a woman's sedentary lifestyle both during and before pregnancy;
• late pregnancy;
• heredity. Were there any post-term babies in your family? Then your chances automatically double!

As for the psychological aspect, everything is much more complicated here, because moral unpreparedness cannot be seen on any medical device.

Quite often, labor does not begin due to various fears of the mother. If, for example, there is a threat of miscarriage, the woman begins to behave as carefully as possible and does everything to protect her baby. This behavior helps maintain pregnancy, but it only interferes with childbirth. But even during an absolutely normal pregnancy, many expectant mothers have an unfounded fear of losing their beloved child, which also does not help labor.

The feeling of anxiety also fuels the future father’s lack of confidence in his own abilities and desire to have this child, especially if the woman is morally dependent on her husband in everything. Only a confidential heart-to-heart conversation and a peaceful showdown can help here.

Reasons for post-term pregnancy

The reasons for post-term pregnancy are varied. Among them, endocrine disorders are of particular importance - changes in the functioning of the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus, etc., as well as functional changes in the activity of the central nervous system. Postmaturity is facilitated by an altered ratio of hormones, in particular estrogen and progesterone. In women who have had abortions or inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs, the contractile activity of the uterus may decrease, which also often causes post-term pregnancy.

Researchers have noticed that in women who carry their pregnancy to term, the nature of menstrual function is usually changed. Thus, most often they experience early and late onset of menstruation, an unsteady menstrual cycle, and irregular menstruation.

Post-term pregnancy can also be associated with psycho-emotional shocks the woman has suffered. Overstrain associated with various emotional stress, as well as insufficient physical activity, are important.

Scientists also drew attention to the fact that post-term pregnancy often occurs in women suffering from diseases of the liver, stomach and intestines. These diseases can be predisposing factors, since when the liver is damaged, the metabolic processes of estrogen (female sex hormones) are disrupted, which leads to a decrease in excitability and inertia of the uterus.

In pregnant women who have been on bed rest for a long time due to concomitant diseases, the fetal head may not descend into the entrance to the pelvis in a timely manner and may not have an irritating effect on the receptor apparatus of the cervix.

In addition to those listed, there are other risk factors for post-term pregnancy:

• various ovarian dysfunctions;
• recurrent miscarriage;
• threat of termination of a real pregnancy and treatment with hormones;
• post-term pregnancy;
• previous birth of a child weighing more than 4 kg;
• previous pregnancies that ended in stillbirth;
• primigravida is over 30 years old;
• presence of concomitant pathology;
• late gestosis;
• breech presentation of the fetus;
• sedentary, sedentary lifestyle of a woman before and during pregnancy.

How to prevent prolonged pregnancy

Firstly, stop being nervous and worrying about everything. Keep yourself busy preparing for the arrival of your baby from the maternity hospital, buy him beautiful clothes, arrange a cozy nest, read smart books and walk more in the fresh air.

If fears and anxiety do not want to subside, contact a good psychologist or sign up for prenatal training courses.