Going Past Your Due Date

What to Expect When Baby Takes a Little Longer 

It’s common to feel uncertain—or even impatient—when your due date passes and your baby hasn’t arrived. But in most cases, going a little past your due date is completely normal. 

What Is a Due Date? 

• Your due date is the estimated day your baby might be born.
• Most pregnancies last about 40 weeks.
• Only about 1 in 20 babies are born on their exact due date.
• Most babies are born between 37 and 42 weeks. 

Is It Normal to Go Past My Due Date? 

• Yes, especially if your pregnancy is healthy.
• It's very common to go past your due date.
• About half of all babies are born within 5 days after their due date. 

What Can I Do? 

Here are some steps to help keep you and your baby healthy: 

• Go to all your prenatal visits.
• Check your baby’s movements.
• Learn more about your options for starting labor.
• Talk with your care team about your wishes and make a plan together. 

What Can My Care Team Do? 

Your provider will check in with you and your baby more often to make sure everything is going well: 

• Monitor your baby’s heartbeat with special tests
• Check your amniotic fluid with an ultrasound
• Talk with you about induction, which means starting labor with medicine or other methods if needed 

What Are My Choices? 

You and your care team will decide what’s best based on your health, your baby’s health, and your preferences. 

• Wait for labor to start naturally: With regular check-ins to make sure baby is safe
• Induce labor: Your care team may recommend starting labor after 41 weeks. 

Every pregnancy is different. Talk with your provider about what feels right for you. 

Additional Resources 

• Your Choice: Wait for Labor or Induction (Decision Aid)
• Evidence-Based Birth: Evidence on Inducing for Due Dates
• When Pregnancy Goes Past Your Due Date