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Can you have elective c-section at 38 weeks?
Kirkeby Hansen advises women seeking elective C-section to wait until the 39th week of their pregnancy. “A woman should make sure she is not having her C-section too early. She should put her foot down and not have it at 37 or 38 weeks just because this fits into the hospital’s plan,” she says.
When should an elective c-section be scheduled?
A caesarean may be recommended as a planned (elective) procedure or done in an emergency if it’s thought a vaginal birth is too risky. Planned caesareans are usually done from the 39th week of pregnancy.
How many weeks is an elective c-section performed?
39 weeks
An elective caesarean section is usually planned after 39 weeks of pregnancy. This is because there’s a chance your baby might have breathing problems soon after birth if they’re born any earlier. This is less likely if they’re born after 39 weeks (NICE, 2011).
Is c-section done before due date?
If you schedule a c-section and your due date is off by a week or 2, your baby may be born too early. Babies born early (called premature babies) may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born on time. This is why it’s important to wait until at least 39 weeks for a scheduled c-section.
Why do they do C-sections at 38 weeks?
You will usually have a planned c-section at 39 weeks of pregnancy. The aim is to do the c-section before you go into labour. Babies born earlier than 39 weeks are more likely to need help with their breathing. Sometimes there’s a medical reason for delivering the baby earlier than this.
Are baby’s lungs mature at 38 weeks?
Among women delivered early after fetal lung maturity, 42.5% were at 36 completed weeks, 40.7% at 37 weeks and only 16.8% at 38 weeks compared to 56.2% at 39 weeks and 43.8% at 40 weeks in the comparison group.
Is 38 weeks full term?
ACOG and SMFM use these definitions to describe term pregnancies: Early term: Your baby is born between 37 weeks, 0 days and 38 weeks, 6 days. Full term: Your baby is born between 39 weeks, 0 days and 40 weeks, 6 days. Late term: Your baby is born between 41 weeks, 0 days and 41 weeks, 6 days.
How long do you stay in hospital after elective C-section?
The average hospital stay after a C-section is 2 to 4 days, and keep in mind recovery often takes longer than it would from a vaginal birth. Walking after the C-section is important to speed recovery and pain medication may be supplied too as recovery takes place.
Can a baby be born at 38 weeks and be healthy?
Summary: Babies considered “early-term,” born at 37 or 38 weeks after a mother’s last menstrual period, may look as healthy as full-term babies born at 39-41 weeks, but a study has found that many of them are not.
How soon can you eat after C-section?
At first you may be asked to only eat ice chips or take sips of water, at least until your provider is certain you are not likely to have very heavy bleeding. Most likely, you will be able to eat a light diet 8 hours after your C-section.