Once you start nearing the end of your third trimester of pregnancy, you will notice more prominent and uncomfortable symptoms such as pelvic and abdominal pressure and swollen ankles. You’ll definitely start thinking about delivering your baby as soon as possible. In this article, we’ll discuss when it is safe to deliver a baby and how early you can go into labor. However, keep in mind that the safest option will always be to carry the baby for a full term unless there are some health concerns that might warrant earlier induction.
When Is It Safe to Deliver a Baby?
When we mention a full-term pregnancy, we refer to a pregnancy that’s lasted for 40 weeks. Before, even 38 weeks delivery was considered full term, but these days the doctors tend to emphasize the importance of the last two weeks in the mother’s belly for the infant’s perfect health. Namely, it’s during these last weeks when the major organ development fully completes, and the baby has a healthy weight. In terms of when it’s safe to deliver a baby, most doctors will therefore suggest a period between 39 and 41 weeks.
Of course, just like every woman is different, every baby is different, meaning that the length of pregnancies will vary. Some babies will arrive earlier and some later than anticipated, perfectly healthy and with no complications.
That said, it’s possible to categorize deliveries based on the pregnancy week when the baby is born:
- A baby born at 37 weeks through week 38 is considered an early term
- A baby born at 39 weeks through week 40 is considered a full term
- Delivering a baby at 41 weeks is considered a late-term
- Delivering a baby at 42 weeks and over is considered a post-term
How Early Can You Go into Labor Safely?
It’s only logical, but the earlier you give birth to your child, there are greater risks involved when it comes to the baby’s health and survival rate. A baby born at 37 weeks and earlier is often referred to as premature. After all, this is even sooner than the early term category.
If you happen to give birth to your baby before you reach week 28 of pregnancy, your child will be referred to as extremely premature. In cases when the delivery happens between weeks 20 and 25, there’s very little chance for the baby to survive.
Thanks to modern medical advances, even premature and extremely premature babies have considerably better chances of survival and continued organ development. Sometimes, women will know beforehand that there’s a high chance of delivering their baby in early term or even prematurely. This is why it’s so crucial to openly discuss everything with your doctor so that you can come up with an adequate care plan for the infant. You can always count on Dr. Halstead, OBGYN specialist, known for her amazing patient care and the strong relationships she builds with her patients.
Now, most doctors will always recommend reaching full term in order for the baby’s lungs to completely develop. However, there will be cases where it will be necessary to compare the risks and benefits of waiting full term for complete lung development and other factors that might require earlier labor. For instance, issues such as HIV, diabetes, chronic hypertension, prior C-sections and/or myomectomy, placenta previa, carrying twins or triplets, and preeclampsia are all conditions that could warrant induced labor before reaching full term.
In regards to how early you can go into labor, 38 weeks delivery will sometimes be necessary, but that doesn’t mean that the entire situation and experience will be anything but healthy and positive.
When Are Most Babies Born?
On average, most babies get born after the mother reaches full-term pregnancy. We can present this in percentages:
- Deliveries that happen between 39 and 41 weeks make for 57.5% of all recorded births in the US
- Babies born at 37 weeks up to 38 weeks delivery make for 26% of births
- Births that occur between weeks 34 and 36 make for 7%
- Deliveries at week 41 and beyond make for about 6.5% of all births
- Only 3% of all births happen before the week 34 of pregnancy
If a woman already has a history of preterm delivery, the chances are that her next baby will also be born prematurely. The same goes for women with a history of post-term delivery. The possibility of giving birth post-term increases for women who are obese, who are first-time mothers, and/or those who are carrying a boy.
How to Prevent Premature Delivery?
There’s no super cure or treatment that will ensure that a woman will reach full-term pregnancy, but there are some things that women can do in order to minimize the risk of premature labor.
Before You Get Pregnant
Not every woman will plan her pregnancy, but if you do, it would be very helpful to go in for preconception counseling. The doctor will then assess your overall health and help you improve it if necessary.
That said, the best thing you can do for both you and your future child before you get pregnant is to get healthy. Aside from managing potential health conditions you may have, you should start eating a balanced diet and exercise regularly in order to maintain a healthy weight, take prenatal vitamins, quit smoking, as well as stop using any drugs and/or alcohol.
During the Pregnancy
Once you’re pregnant, it’s essential that you follow your doctor’s advice to a tee. It’s helpful to continue exercising. Just make sure to discuss the appropriate exercise routine with your doctor. Do your best to get enough sleep and eat healthy and nutritious food.
You should be completely honest and transparent about your health history with your doctor and never skip your scheduled prenatal appointments. Practice all the protective measures to ensure you don’t get sick.
In case you notice any worrying symptoms that might indicate premature delivery, such as constant pain in the lower back, cramping in the abdomen, contractions, or unusual vaginal discharge, make sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible.
After You Give Birth
If you’ve already given birth and want to have another kid, the safest practice would be to wait at least 18 months before trying to get pregnant again. The shorter the period between two pregnancies is, the bigger the risk is when it comes to premature delivery. Make sure to discuss the best time for you to get pregnant again with your doctor if you’re older than 35 as well.
Bringing a child into this world is truly a wonderful gift, but the whole experience can easily become too stressful and overwhelming if you’re not careful with your health. As mentioned, even early-term delivery can be safe thanks to contemporary medical technology, but it’s still best to do everything you can to ensure you can reach full term. At Sarasota Memorial Hospital for labor and delivery, you can expect complete pregnancy care, from as early as your preconception counseling to the full-service management of your pregnancy and delivery.
