The gestation period is defined as the period of development of a young one until birth from the embryo after fertilization(conception).
The word gestation is derived from the Latin word “gestare” which means “to carry” or “to bear.”
Simply put, the gestation period can also be termed the pregnancy period. For example, the average gestation period for human beings is 9 months that means it takes 9 months after egg fertilization for human beings to develop offspring inside the uterus that is ready to deliver.
In humans, the average gestation period is 40 weeks, but the unborn baby spends around 37 weeks inside the uterus/mother’s womb.
The gestation period is counted from the first day of the woman’s last period. The non-occurrence of periods in women is the confirmation of the pregnancy because the menstrual cycle gets paused after the fertilization of eggs.
During the gestation period, the fetus or baby undergoes various stages of development to attain complete maturity for getting delivered from the mother’s womb.
If the labour occurs between 37 to 42 weeks of the estimated days then the pregnancy is considered full term. Premature birth is considered if a baby is born prior to the 37th week and said to be overdue if a baby hasn’t born by the 42nd week.
The medical term Estimated Date of Confinement (EDC) is used to define the due date of labour. It is calculated by adding 7 days to the date of the first day of the woman’s last period and then again adding 9 months(or 39 weeks).
For example, if the first day of the woman’s last period is 1 March, add 7 days (now 8 March) then add 9 months, the due date for this woman will be 8th December.
Pregnant women
Do you know?
Only 4% of the women actually give birth on their EDC.
Complications of premature babies:
Babies that are born prior to the 37th week of the gestation period are considered premature babies. There are a few complications related to their health and the survival depends on their degree of maturity. The higher are the chances of survival of the baby if it is born closer to the EDC. Almost all babies will survive if good pediatric care is taken after the 34th week of gestation period. The advancement of medical science has also saved the lives of many premature babies.
Due to the development of immature internal organs, premature babies are frequently distress by various health problems. Problems related to respiratory difficulties and high vulnerability to various infections are common problems in prematurely born babies. Although there is no exact known cause for premature labour few maternal risk factors are identified from the studies and these include
- Consumption of alcohol or smoking during the pregnancy.
- Low body weight prior to pregnancy.
- Emotional stress.
- No proper parental care.
- Problems related to placenta such as placenta praevia.
- Diseases like diabetes and congestive heart failure and infections such as syphilis.
Complications of overdue babies:
About 5% of the babies born are overdue and this can cause complications to the mother also. An overdue baby spends more than 37 weeks in the mother’s womb and can grow large than normal making the vaginal delivery more painful and in some situations, it forces doctors to carry out Caesarean section delivery(also known as C section). To avoid any fatalities to both the mother and the baby the doctor will closely monitor the condition such as the baby’s heart rate, its rate of growth using ultrasound scans.
Gestation facts:
- The shortest known gestation period is about 12 days for Virginian opossum (an animal with a size of a domestic cat) and the longest is about 22 months for the Indian elephant.
- The blood volume in a woman increases as much as 50% in order to supply enough oxygenated blood to the fetus.
- With the increase in blood volume, the heart also expands to pump extra blood.
- By the 25th week of the gestation period, babies become responsive and respond more to the mother’s noise in the womb, they also kick.
- Some pregnant women can develop a strange craving. It could also be a sign of deficiency of certain nutrients.
Do’s and Don’ts during Pregnancy
Do’s and Don’ts during pregnancy
Do’s –
- Take enough rest
- Take multivitamin
- Yoga and lightweight workout
- Visit doctors regularly
- Eat clean and easily digestible food
Don’ts –
- Do not consume alcohol and its products
- Do not smoke
- Do not take stress/tension
- Do not consume raw meat
- Do not lift heavyweights
Useful Glossary –
- Conception – the process of becoming pregnant
- Egg fertilization (in humans) – the fusion of egg and sperm
- Uterus – A pear-shaped organ in a woman’s pelvis where the baby develops during pregnancy
- Menstrual cycle – The process of ovulation and menstruation in women that indicates their maturity
- Fetus – An unborn baby that is still developing in the mother’s womb
- Labour – The process through which the baby is born, involves the uterine contractions with progressive cervical dilation and effacement
- Pediatric – Branch of medicine that involves the medical care of children and dealing with their disease
- Maternal – Relating to the mother
- Cesarean section – Delivering a child through a surgical operation (also called C section)