Health Library

What happens if my due date comes and goes, and my baby still shows no signs of appearing?
– Martha

Very few pregnant women deliver on their estimated due dates. Many first-time moms find themselves waiting up to 2 weeks after their due date for their baby to arrive.

If you don’t go into labor within a week of your due date, your doctor may recommend a nonstress test. This monitors fetal heart rate and movement to see how the baby is doing. Talk to your doctor to find out more about this test.

Sometimes moms need a little help to get their labor going. If your health or your baby’s health requires it, your doctor may induce labor. This can be done by:

• stripping the membranes: The doctor can rupture the amniotic sac by sweeping a gloved finger over the thin membranes that connect it to the wall of the uterus.
• breaking your water (also called an amniotomy): The doctor makes a small hole in the amniotic sac with a special tool.
• giving a hormone such as prostaglandin or oxytocin