Visual Signs of a 3 Week Post Term Baby

Pregnancy is kept track of by counting the weeks, starting with the first day of the last menstrual cycle. A normal delivery date, or a term delivery, falls anywhere between Weeks 37 and 42. A post-term baby is one that has stayed in the womb past 42 weeks. It's estimated that about 10 percent of U.S. pregnancies are post-term.

Size

• After week 40, as long as the mother's placenta remains healthy and functional, the fetus will continue to gain weight. By week 43, the fetus may have gained enough weight to be termed macrosomic upon delivery. Macrosomic babies weigh between 8 pounds 13 ounces and 9 pounds 15 ounces at birth. They may be too large to deliver vaginally, or they may cause a difficult vaginal delivery. It is possible for a baby that's too large to become stuck in the birth canal, risking oxygen deprivation, nerve damage and broken bones, as well as trauma to the mother. It's more likely that the mother's placenta will begin to age, however, and not be able to support the growing fetus. Aging placentas can't deliver the proper amount of oxygen and nutrition, so post-term babies affected by poorly functioning placentas may stop gaining weight or actually begin to lose weight.

Appearance

• Not all post-term infants are different in appearance than term infants. The babies that do differ in appearance may have long, thin arms and legs, loose skin over the buttocks and thighs, long fingernails and toenails and thick, long head hair. Many post-term babies have a lesser amount of soft tissue, especially subcutaneous fat. Due to spending a longer amount of time in amniotic fluid, the skin "may appear dry and parchment-like, with peeling..." according to Dr. Errol R. Norwitz, professor from Yale University and author of the article "Patient Information: Postterm Pregnancy." In addition, the umbilical cord and nails may be stained with meconium, which is a bowel movement passed into the amniotic fluid. They are usually more alert than term babies, and are characterized by having a wide-eyed look.

Other Indications

• Post-term babies that are observed experiencing respiratory difficulties may have developed complications resulting from a long gestation. Labored breathing could be an indication of postmaturity syndrome--also called fetal dysmaturity--or meconium aspiration. Postmaturity syndrome occurs when fetal growth is inhibited by a poorly functioning placenta, which can cause a compressed umbilical cord. Aside from breathing difficulties, these babies may possibly have on-going neurologic problems. Meconium aspiration occurs when the fetus inhales fecal matter in the amniotic fluid. Outside of respiratory problems, it can also cause life-threatening infections.