My Doctor Online The Permanente Medical Group
Are you having back pain with any of the following?
- Severe pain, weakness or tingling in your leg(s).
- Difficulty stopping urination or loss of control of bladder or bowels.
- Unexplained fever, nausea or vomiting.
- A history of cancer or unexplained weight loss.
We understand that you are experiencing one or more of the health issues that might be impacting your back pain.
We recommend that you discuss these health issues with your doctor before proceeding with this program.
Once you are cleared by your doctor to do this program, we hope it helps you find relief from your back pain.
Post-term Pregnancy
Pregnancy lasts an average of 40 weeks from the beginning of the last menstrual period to the birth of your baby. In most pregnancies, delivery occurs between 37 and 42 weeks. If you're still pregnant after 40 weeks, we call this a post-term pregnancy. In most cases, there is little increased risk to a baby who is born within 2 weeks of the estimated delivery date. However, when a pregnancy lasts more than 42 weeks, there may be increased risk to the baby. Concerns after 42 weeks include:
- The baby is larger and may be more difficult to deliver.
- The placenta, which brings oxygen and nutrients to the baby, may not continue to meet the baby's needs and the baby might lose weight.
- There may be a decrease in the fluid surrounding the baby.
- The baby may pass its first stool (meconium) into the surrounding fluid. This could enter the lungs and cause breathing problems for the baby after birth.
Cesarean birth becomes more likely when any of these things occur.
We can monitor the health of a post-term baby. When our tests confirm that the baby is considered healthy, no action is needed. If the tests suggest a problem, labor may be induced (started). Induction of labor is usually advised between 41 and 42 weeks even if no problem is detected.
Induction of labor
In general, an induction is planned when it's considered safer for your baby to be delivered rather than waiting for labor to start on its own. Depending on how ready your cervix is for labor, there are different methods used to induce labor:
- If your cervix has already begun to dilate (open), amniotomy (breaking the bag of waters) may be all that is needed to induce labor.
- If your cervix is less "favorable" for labor, but still softened, thinned out, and slightly dilated, a medicine such as Pitocin may be given to cause contractions to begin. Pitocin is a synthetic version of the hormone oxytocin, which causes contractions. It's given through an intravenous (IV) line and is carefully controlled so that contractions increase gradually.
- If your cervix is not "favorable" for labor, you may be a candidate for prostaglandin (PG) gel or a medication called misoprostol. These medications make the cervix more favorable for induction. Sometimes the induction process is rapid; other times, it takes two to three days, especially if the cervix is unfavorable or the uterus does not respond well to these medications.
Related Health Tools:
Prepare for Your Procedure
- Childbirth (Emmi) Childbirth (Emmi)
- C-Section (Emmi) C-Section (Emmi)
- Pain Relief for Childbirth (Emmi) Pain Relief for Childbirth (Emmi)
- Vaginal Birth After C-Section (VBAC) (Emmi) Vaginal Birth After C-Section (VBAC) (Emmi)
If you have an emergency medical condition, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital. An emergency medical condition is any of the following: (1) a medical condition that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that you could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in serious jeopardy to your health or body functions or organs; (2) active labor when there isn't enough time for safe transfer to a Plan hospital (or designated hospital) before delivery, or if transfer poses a threat to your (or your unborn child's) health and safety, or (3) a mental disorder that manifests itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity such that either you are an immediate danger to yourself or others, or you are not immediately able to provide for, or use, food, shelter, or clothing, due to the mental disorder.
This information is not intended to diagnose health problems or to take the place of specific medical advice or care you receive from your physician or other health care professional. If you have persistent health problems, or if you have additional questions, please consult with your doctor. If you have questions or need more information about your medication, please speak to your pharmacist. Kaiser Permanente does not endorse the medications or products mentioned. Any trade names listed are for easy identification only.