How many weeks does a woman go pregnant? We give the answer

A huge number of representatives of the weaker sex, preparing to become a mother, are concerned about the question of how many weeks a woman goes pregnant. This interest is dictated primarily by the desire to see your child as soon as possible. Of course, there is such a thing as a normal term of carrying a child in the womb of the mother. At the same time, there are deviations from the norm when the baby is born earlier than the prescribed time or, conversely, with a delay. Why is this happening? It all depends on many factors. To the question of how many weeks a woman goes pregnant, there is a simple answer: "From 37 to 42 weeks (inclusive)."

Naturally, we are talking about a general rule. If the baby was born prematurely, then the birth will be called premature. Accordingly, when he is born at the 43rd week, they talk about belated childbirth.

Delivery in due time

So, for those who are interested in how many weeks a woman goes pregnant, we emphasize once again that this period, on average, is 9 calendar months or 10 obstetric. At the same time, by the beginning of childbirth, women should be mentally prepared for the fact that they will have a new status. However, it is impossible to determine the exact date of the baby's birth. However, many expectant mothers, who really want to know how many weeks a woman goes pregnant, do not give up trying and hoping to find out the exact date of birth of their baby.

It is very important to note that during the second and subsequent childbirth, the duration of gestation in the mother's womb is approximately 37-39 weeks. The reason for this is that a woman's body adapts to repeated pregnancies faster and easier. People have long noticed a rather curious detail: girls are born a little earlier than boys (38th week and 40th week, respectively). However, experts in the field of obstetrics do not see the relationship between the sex of the child and the period of pregnancy. In their opinion, a child is born exactly at the moment when his body is maximally formed. Some are interested in the question of how long a pregnancy lasts if twins are expected to be born. As a general rule, in this case, the fetus is carried for no more than 38 weeks, while childbirth is not considered premature.

Often twins are born due to surgical intervention. Moreover, only the doctor determines which method of delivery will be used in relation to a woman who in the future should give birth to 2 babies.

Early delivery

According to statistics, about 7% of mothers give birth to children "before the due date." If a normal pregnancy is from 37 to 42 weeks in time, then the period of "premature" varies from the 22nd to the 37th week. Babies born "ahead of time" are poorly adapted to life outside the mother's womb, they are not even able to breathe on their own. And it is only thanks to the advanced achievements of medicine that their lives are saved. So, why does pregnancy not last long in this case? This is explained by several reasons. Let's consider the most common of them.

Causes of premature childbearing

A woman may give birth prematurely due to the presence of genital infections in her body. In an infected uterus, the fetus cannot fully form by 9 calendar months, and then the female organ begins to reject it on its own. The second reason for premature birth is the consequence of such a disease as isthmic-cervical insufficiency, when the cervix, due to pathologies of contractile activity, is unable to hold the fetus until the due date. As other reasons, experts in the field of obstetrics call placental abruption, the presence of congenital pathologies of uterine development, as well as a heavy load on the uterus during gestation. The probability that the child will be born before the due date is high for those women who previously performed an artificial termination of pregnancy. Unbalanced nutrition, nervous stress can also lead to early childbirth. Of course, the attention of doctors to women preparing to become mothers ahead of time should be special.

Delivery after due date

Let's now consider the situation when the baby is born later than the due date. It should be noted that in this case, pregnancy usually lasts about 43-44 weeks. According to statistics, a similar situation occurs in 10% of women. It is not difficult to guess that with this pathology, the child is born with a clear delay. Let's analyze why this is happening.

Causes of late childbearing

The baby does not leave the womb for a long time because she suffers from neuroendocrine diseases (overweight, diabetes mellitus, etc.). Also, such pathologies as myometrium, decreased tone, biological unavailability of the uterus can interfere with normal childbirth in due time. The cause of delayed delivery may be associated with diseases of the central nervous system in the child (Down syndrome, anencephaly, hydrocephalus). If the baby has ailments, then on this basis he has a slowdown in the production of corticosteroid hormones, which are responsible for ensuring that he is born in a timely manner. The cause of delayed delivery may also be hormonal failures, when a lack of catecholamines or progesterone is recorded. A long stay of the baby in the mother's womb does not bode well for the child. He simply begins to starve, the placenta at the same time ages, it begins to perform its function worse. A child who was born late looks very much like an old man: he has dried skin, with wrinkles in places.

Conclusion

Future parents should approach the process of childbearing with all seriousness and responsibility, since the period after which the child was born is an indicator of his health. It is mandatory for pregnant women to visit a doctor regularly and strictly follow all his recommendations.