Going Past Your Due Date

Since the day you discovered you were pregnant, you’ve been counting the days until your due date. As the date approaches, you get excited and maybe a bit anxious about the birth, but mostly excited. Then the day comes and nothing happens and nothing happens the next day and the day after that. This is frustrating to say the least.

 

As frustrated as you feel, it’s important to remember that the due date is really just an estimate. In fact only about five percent of all babies are born on the actual due date. This means that ninety five percent of them will not arrive on that day. In the vast majority of the cases, the baby will come within two weeks of the due date, either before or after.

 

If the baby isn’t here by your first visit after the due date, the doctor may want to do a bit of monitoring to check on the baby and assess his condition. An ultrasound may be done to check the baby’s heart rate and general health. The placenta can also be checked during the ultrasound to be sure it is still functioning properly. The amniotic fluid will be measured to be sure the level is sufficient.