My delayed delivery

I am currently carrying my third pregnancy which I was expected to deliver about four weeks ago. Unfortunately, the baby has refused to come down. Kindly let me know what could be responsible for the delay as well as the way out. I am getting worried.

Agnes (by SMS)

Actually, a due date is only an estimate! it is very normal to go up to 42 weeks in pregnancy. Around 80% of babies are born between 38 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. This is often called ‘at term’. Babies born after 42 weeks are described as ‘post-term’ while those born before 37 completed weeks are ‘preterm’ or ‘premature’. It has been confirmed that only about 5% of babies are actually born on their ‘due’ date? Pregnancy is measured from the date of your last period, and conception could have occurred at different times in the weeks after that. Even if you’re sure of the date of conception, the length of pregnancy can still vary by about five weeks. If your labour hasn’t started by 41 weeks, your midwife will probably offer you a ‘membrane sweep’. This involves having a vaginal examination, when she will insert a finger gently into your cervix and move it between the top of the cervix and the bag of waters. This may stimulate the cervix to produce the hormones, called prostaglandins, which trigger spontaneous labour. Induction (starting labour off artificially) is offered to all women who don’t go into labour naturally by 42 weeks, as there is a higher risk of stillbirth or problems for the baby if you go over 42 weeks pregnant.