Today a rather nice study of 15 million pregnancies provides some insight as to why the 39 week rule might be doing the harm that it is doing. This systematic review and meta—analysis showed clear increase in stillbirth risk from 38 weeks. Such that you have to think that if there is a line in the concrete at 39 weeks that this would inevitably mean increased risk of stillbirth.
I have recently returned from the USA where one of the topics of concern is the 39 week rule. While there is rhetoric from ACOG that this rule has done no harm in fact there is much evidence that the opposite is true. Today a rather nice study of 15 million pregnancies provides some insight as to why the 39 week rule might be doing the harm that it is doing. This systematic review and meta—analysis showed clear increase in stillbirth risk from 38 weeks. Such that you have to think that if there is a line in the concrete at 39 weeks that this would inevitably mean increased risk of stillbirth. While the numbers of babies potentially saved by “early term” delivery are admittedly small. This study does not support the rhetoric that 39 weeks is the new term and birth before this gestation will cause more harm than good.
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