If you don't deliver by the 40th week of your pregnancy, then It is regarded as a post maturity or due date delay.

Is It Risky?

Pregnancy is meant to last only up to 40 weeks. After 40 weeks, there is a danger to both you and your baby's life. The umbilical cord tends to go weak after 40 weeks and any contractions of the uterus put stress on it. This could lead to foetal distress.

 Also, the baby may show signs of aging like wrinkled skin. As the placenta weakens, the baby receives a lesser blood supply and nutrition than supposed to. Lack of oxygen may also cause foetal distress.

After 40 weeks, the baby will start passing stools and urine, which may be poisonous for you.

To add to it, the baby's skull hardens making it difficult  for her to manipulate through the birth canal and make her way out.

How Long Do the Doctors Wait?

Earlier, doctors used to wait for a week or two post your due date. But today it is not recommended to wait that long. This is mainly because labour pain mainly depends on the quality of your cervix.

Many a times, the cervix tends to be hard and refuses to open. Even after inducing pain, the cervix will not dilate and labour pain will not set it. Even hormonal changes tend to influence labour pain to some extent.

Considering the threats of post maturity, doctors now wait for just a few days post the given due date, before opting for a C-section.

What are the Options?

In case, you do not go into labour post 40 weeks, your doctor will monitor your baby's movements and heart beat.

Your doctor may conduct a Non Stress Test (NST) in order to monitor foetal distress level and a Colour Doppler or an ultrasound scan done. This is done mainly to find out the amount of blood supply going to your baby.

In case, you have a hard cervix, then your doctor may administer some vaginal drugs or gel, followed by intravenous (IV) drops. Once your cervix is soft, labour pain will be induced for a vaginal delivery.

If this doesn't work, then your doctor may recommend a c-section.

Till date, the exact cause for a delayed due date is unknown. It is very hard to predict as to when you may go into labour.  Since people do not want to risk their and their baby's life, a majority opt for a C-section.

(With inputs from Dr. Rishma Dhillon Pai, Gynaecologist)