The longest human pregnancy ever recorded was 375 days (over a year), much longer than the typical 280 days, with a baby born to Beulah Hunter in 1945. In the animal kingdom, the alpine salamander holds the record for the longest pregnancy, lasting up to four years, while elephants have the longest gestation of any mammal (nearly two years).
But other doctors at Los Angeles' Methodist Hospital found it incredible that Mrs. Hunter had been pregnant 375 days (instead of the normal 280) before her baby was born there last week; 375 days would be the longest pregnancy on record, topping the runner-up by about 58 days.
Many will let pregnant women go up to two weeks over. After 42 weeks, however, the baby's health might be at risk. A very small number of babies die unexpectedly if they are still in the womb beyond 42 weeks of pregnancy.
In Australia, the chance of pregnancies going beyond 42 weeks gestation is in the order of less than five per cent. Jackie Chan has claimed he was born three months overdue, spending a total of 12 months in his mother's womb.
Most pregnancies last 37 to 42 weeks, but some take longer. If your pregnancy lasts more than 42 weeks, it is called post-term (past due). This happens in a small number of pregnancies. While there are some risks in a post-term pregnancy, most post-term babies are born healthy.
Pregnancy is commonly thought of as 9 months but is medically calculated as 40 weeks (280 days) from your last period, which is slightly more than 9 months and often considered closer to 10 calendar months, depending on the months involved. While due dates fall around 40 weeks, it's normal for babies to arrive between 39 and 41 weeks, making the duration vary slightly.
For example, women who have chronic health problems, such as high blood pressure or diabetes, who become pregnant may be considered to have high-risk pregnancies—even if the condition is well controlled. Other factors, such as infections, injuries, and disorders of pregnancy, can also put a pregnancy at high risk.
At 30 weeks pregnant, you are in your seventh month, marking the beginning or middle of the third trimester, with the eighth month typically starting around week 31 or 32, as pregnancy months don't align perfectly with weeks but generally cover 4-5 weeks each.
Joanna was forced to remain in the tilted position 24 hours a day for two and a half months. After 75 days – and what is believed to be the longest labour ever recorded – Joanna gave birth to a healthy girl, Iga, and boy, Ignacy. The two babies were delivered by caesarean at a neo-natal clinic in Wroclaw, Poland.
Baby: 0-12 mos. It doesn't take long to develop the confidence and calm of an experienced parent.
At 20 weeks of pregnancy, a female fetus has 6–7 million of eggs. By the time the woman is 30 years, she will have lost nearly 90% of her eggs and at the age of 40 years, only around 3% of eggs are left. Most women are no longer able to become naturally pregnant in their mid-40s.
The "3-2-1 Rule" in pregnancy is a guideline for first-time mothers to know when to call their midwife or doctor for active labor: consistent contractions that are 3 minutes apart, lasting 2 minutes each, for 1 hour (or sometimes cited as 3-1-1, meaning 3 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour). For subsequent pregnancies, the 5-1-1 Rule (5 minutes apart, 1 minute long, for 1 hour) is often used, indicating labor is progressing more quickly.
During pregnancy, avoid raw/undercooked meats, seafood (sushi, smoked), and eggs to prevent bacteria/parasites; limit high-mercury fish (shark, swordfish) and caffeine; skip unpasteurized dairy, soft cheeses, deli meats (unless heated), pâté, raw sprouts, and all alcohol; and be cautious with sugary/fatty foods and excessive salt to protect your baby's development and your health.
Multiple births of as many as 9 babies have been born alive; In May 2021, the Cissé nonuplets were born in Morocco to Halima Cissé, a 25-year-old woman from Mali. As of May 2023, two years since their births, all 9 are still living and reportedly in good health. The list of multiple births covers notable examples.
Surprisingly, little Penny only weighed a tiny 6lbs 15oz.....
Late-term and postterm pregnancy can raise the risk of some health problems, including: Larger than average birth size (fetal macrosomia). This increases the chance that you may need forceps, a vacuum device or another instrument to assist with the birth. It may raise the risk of requiring a C-section.
Marie Hutchens The heaviest baby to survive infancy weighed 22 pounds, 8 ounces (10.2 kg) and was born in Aversa, Italy, in 1955, according to Guinness World Records. This baby was born to Sig. Carmelina Fedele. Marie Hutchens I sure hope she had a c section.
The greatest officially recorded number of children born to one mother is 69, to the wife of Feodor Vassilyev (b. 1707–c. 1782), a peasant from Shuya, Russia. In 27 confinements she gave birth to 16 pairs of twins, seven sets of triplets and four sets of quadruplets.
That means most pregnancies are, in fact, closer to 10 months than nine when counted in weeks! But because most people think of months as four weeks long, it's commonly rounded to “nine months”.
At 31 weeks pregnant, you're still around seven months pregnant. You're getting closer to meeting baby each day! In fact, at 31 weeks pregnant, you only have around 60 days left before the big day!
Your growing baby now measures 40cm from crown to heel and weighs approximately 1.4kg.
Your baby is now perfectly formed – over the next few weeks, they have lots to do, like maturing their organs and gaining fat. For the past few weeks, your baby has been covered by a greasy white layer of something called "vernix" that protects the skin and soft, downy hair for warmth. This starts to disappear now.
Most miscarriages happen in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (known as early miscarriage). It is estimated that early miscarriages happen to 10-20 in 100 (10 to 20%) of pregnancies. It is estimated that second trimester loss (late miscarriage) happens to 3-4 in 100 (3 to 4%) of pregnancies.
A fever is especially worrisome if you also have: