Post-dated Pregnancy

Post-term Pregnancy
(Syn:Post-dated Pregnancy or Post maturity
Prolonged pregnancy)

• A pregnancy that has reached or surpassed 42 weeks

( 294 days ) of gestation from the first day of the last
menstrual period. ( ACOG,WHO,FIGO)

• Incidence- Range 4-19%,Average incidence-10%

 Aetiology

• Wrong dates- The most common cause of

prolonged pregnancy, due to inaccurate LMP

• Hereditary- postdatism seems to run in families,

showing a genetic predisposition

• H/o previous prolonged pregnancy- recurrence

50%
• Abnormal fetal HPA and adrenal hypoplasia as in
anencephaly deficiency of dehydro-
epiandrosterone reduced fetal cortisol response.

• Placental Salphatase deficiency- this enzyme play a

critical role in synthesis of placental estrogens which
are necessary for the expression of oxytocin & PG
receptors in myometrial cells
Changes associated with prolonged pregnancy
• A series of changes occur in
-amniotic fluid
-placenta and
- fetus

Amniotic Fluid Changes

• In Postdated Pregnancy quantitative &qalitative
changes occur in Amniotic fluid
 Quantitative Amniotic Fluid Changes
• Amniotic fluid peak
38wks ---- 1000ml
40wks ---- 800ml
42wks ---- 480ml
43wks ---- 250ml
44wks ---- 160ml
• After 42wks there is 33% decrease in amniotic fluid
volume/wk

• A decrease in fetal renal blood flow is associated with

postdatism is the cause of oligohydromnios

• Amniotic fluid less than 400ml is associated with fetal

complications
 Method to evaluate amniotic fluid volume
• Most popular method to evaluate amniotic fluid volume is
four quadrant technique to calculate Amniotic Fluid Index
(AFI).

• AFI is obtained by measuring the vertical diameter of

largest pocket of amniotic fluid in 4 quadrants of uterus by
USG and the sum of the result is AFI

• AFI <5cm – oligohydromnios

5 – 10cm – decreased amniotic fluid volume
10 – 15cm – Normal
16 – 20cm – Increased amniotic fluid volume
>25cm - Polyhydromnios
 Qualitative Changes in Amniotic fluid
• AF become milky and cloudy because of presence of
abundant flakes of vernix caseosa.

• The Phospholipids composition changes due to presence of

large number of lamellar bodies released from fetal lungs.
Vernix raises the lecithin, Sphingomyelin ratio to 4: 1 & more

• The liquor may be meconium stained as a result of

intrauterine hypoxia
 Placental Changes

• USG findings:
-Indentation in chorionic plate become more marked,
giving the appearance of cotyledons

- Increased confluency of the comma- like densities

that become the inter cotyledonary septations

- Appearance of hemorrhagic infarct & Calcification

 Fetal Changes
• The fetus grow in utero after term - macrosomic
which lead to fetopelvic disproportion , Prolong labor
Shoulder dystosia

• After term the fetus loses Vernix caseosa causing

wrinkling of the skin due to direct contact with aqueous
amniotic fluid

• Growth of hair and nails

• Wasting of subcutaneous tissue
 Diagnosis of Postdated Pregnancy
• The diagnostic accuracy of post term pregnancy
hinges on the reliability of gestational age
• We can get accurate EDD by:-
- LMP when >3 normal regular period before LMP & no ocp
- EDD calculated by LMP coincide with EDD from USG
perform between 12-20wks
- When LMP not known EDD established from USG
between 7-11wks
- EDD corresponds to 36wks since the patient had +ve upt
- A reliable P/V finding for GA age in 1st trimester
 Management
• Prior to deciding any line of action it is important to
establish the diagnosis of post term gestation by
history , examination and USG.

• Fetal Surveillance by – NST

- AFI
- Biophysical Profile
- Doppler ( Facilities available)
• Patient with Prolonged Pregnancy (>40wks) who
need to be delivered :
* Women with medical or obstetrical complications
of pregnancy
* Favorable Cervix Bishop Score > 8
* Women with oligohydromnios
* Estimated fetal weight > 4.5kg
* Suspected fetal compromise
* Fetal congenital anomaly
* Hyper mature Placenta
• Expectant management of prolonged pregnancy is
justified only when:
- GA <41 wks with unripe cervix, normal AFI ,
normal size baby , normal BPP and reactive
NST
• There is universal agreement that once pregnancy
reaches 42wks delivery mandatory – Induction/ CS
-If there is signs of fetal distress ,wt. is > 4.5kg.or
obstetrical complicated pregnancy- CS
 Complication of Postdated pregnancy

Maternal – Increased morbidity due to increased

Instrumental & operative delivery

Fetal - Intrapartum fetal distress

- MAS
- Fetal trauma due to macrosomia
- Increased Perinatal morbidity & mortality