Docs Get More Precise About Full-Term Pregancy

Mom-to-be closing in on her due date? The nation’s obstetricians are getting more precise about exactly how close makes for a full-term pregnancy.

On average, a pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, counting from the first day of the woman’s last menstrual period. That’s how a due date is estimated. A baby is considered preterm if he or she is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Until now, a “term” baby was defined as one born anytime from 37 weeks to 42 weeks, a few weeks before or after the calculated due date.

Now the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is refining the definition of a term pregnancy to make clear that even at the end of the last trimester, a little more time in the womb can be better for a baby’s health and development.

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https://news.yahoo.com/docs-more-precise-full-term-pregnancy-211424351.html