Is it true that giving birth at 9 months and 10 days of gestation is ideal?

Pregnancy is a natural process of a woman being a complete woman that is becoming a mother. It can be said that pregnancy will give Mommy a fabulous and very valuable experience. Therefore, it takes a variety of good preparation, including mental preparation before delivery in order to make the process run smoothly. 

One thing that Mommy needs to know is the most appropriate gestational age to give birth to the baby. Calculating gestational age must be as precise as possible. Indeed, the exact time of delivery takes place naturally. Once the baby is ready to be born, Mommy can recognize the signs that appear.

Age of Pregnancy

In general, ordinary people only know that in order to determine the ideal gestational age for giving birth is 9 months 10 days or 37 weeks. However, according to a study from the Organization for Maternal and Infant Health in the United States, March of Dimes, the most ideal gestational age for Mommy to give birth is 40 weeks. Isn’t it too long? Meanwhile, there are many dangers that can threaten the health of the fetus when staying in the womb for too long.

A research from that health institution has found that the baby's brain and organs can still thrive after Week 39 of pregnancy. In fact, they also found that babies born after Week 39 will have an outstanding durability against respiratory and digestive problems, as well as problems in the regulation of body temperature naturally, which is widely experienced by babies born at Week 37. Therefore, there have been some restrictions to conduct a C-Section at Week 37.

Exact Calculation

To know that Mommy’s pregnancy has achieved the ideal gestational age for childbirth, Mommy could calculate the pregnancy age. There are two ways to calculate the pregnancy. 

The first is the method of calculating Mommy’s LMP using Naegele formula, (date +7days), (month +9), (year +0), for the last menstrual period of January-March and (date +7days), (month -3), (year +1) for the last menstrual period of April-December.

The second method is the movement of the fetus. The movement of the fetus in the first pregnancy occurs at Week 18-20, and for the second and subsequent pregnancies, the movement occurs at Week 16-18. But, if Mommy wants to know the gestational age accurately and precisely, Mommy should consult a gynecologist.

In addition to knowing the gestational age and forecast the date of birth, Mommy can also get help if doctors find health problems that could threaten the health of Mommy and the baby. Thus, the birth process will go smoothly and healthily.