Post-dates

[louzannalady]

Please know, that you are not considered, from a medical perspective, to be "post-dates" or "overdue" until after 42 weeks! : ) Here is some great information on post-dates, if you are interested in learning more about the subject. 

http://evidencebasedbirth.com/2012/05/03/if-you-dont-have-this-baby-by-42-weeks-we-have-to-induce/  

http://www.greenmedinfo.com/blog/surprising-lack-evidence-postdate-birth-induction  

http://birthwithoutfearblog.com/2011/08/22/what-acog-has-to-say-about-due-dates/  (This author has gone PAST 42 weeks with at least two of her pregnancies.)  

http://voices.yahoo.com/the-lie-edd-why-due-date-isnt-you-1958162.html?cat=25  

http://www.acog.org/Resources_And_Publications/Committee_Opinions/Committee_on_Ethics/Informed_Consent  (ACOG statement on informed consent) 

http://www.aimsusa.org/ppbr.htm  (Pregnant patient's bill of rights, per the American Hospital Association)

http://www.aafp.org/afp/2004/1201/p2221.html  (ACOG guidelines on post-dates "overdue" pregnancies)

[mftmommy]

Great reading! Echoing one of the commenters in the blog, estimated due dates are unreliable due to many factors, including that many women's cycles are irregular, or at least don't fit in the 28blog day schema OBs use. The book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler is a wonderful resource for empowering women through education.