[1] Postmature births carry risks for both the mother and the baby, including fetal malnutrition, meconium aspiration syndrome, and stillbirths.
[2] After the 42nd week of gestation, the placenta, which supplies the baby with nutrients and oxygen from the mother, starts aging and will eventually fail [citation needed].
[6] Because postterm pregnancy is a condition solely based on gestational age, there are no confirming physical signs or symptoms.
The most common symptoms for this condition are dry skin, overgrown nails, creases on the baby's palms and soles of their feet, minimal fat, abundant hair on their head, and either a brown, green, or yellow discoloration of their skin.
Doctors diagnose postmature birth based on the baby's physical appearance and the length of the mother's pregnancy.
When the menstrual period is irregular it is difficult to judge the moment of ovulation and subsequent fertilization and pregnancy.
[citation needed] Once a pregnancy is diagnosed postterm, usually at or greater than 42 weeks of gestational age, the mother should be offered additional monitoring as this can provide valuable clues that the fetal health is being maintained.
[13] The ultrasound machine can also detect the direction of blood flow and display it in red or blue.
Generally, a score of 8/10 or 10/10 is considered a normal test result, unless 0 points is given for amniotic fluid.
A score of 6/10 with normal amniotic fluid is considered equivocal, and a repeated test within 24 hours may be needed.
[29] Low amniotic fluid can cause pinching umbilical cord, decreasing blood flow to the fetus.
Women opting for expectant management may also choose to carry on with additional monitoring of their baby, with regular CTG, ultrasound, and biophysical profile.
[34][35] A doctor inserts a finger into the mother's cervix and moves it around to separate the membrane connecting the amniotic sac, which houses the baby, from the walls of the uterus.
Once this membrane is stripped, the hormone prostaglandin is naturally released into the mother's body and initiates contractions.
[citation needed] Prevalence of postterm pregnancy may vary between countries due to different population characteristics or medical management.
Factors include number of first-time pregnancies, genetic predisposition, timing of ultrasound assessment, and Caesarean section rates, etc.