Gestational Length: How long is too long?

Objective: We hypothesize that delivery at 39 to 40 6/7th weeks may be safer for the mother and child than delivery past that gestational age. Study design: A proprietary perinatal database was queried from January 1, 1992 through December 31, 2011. Only singleton pregnancies without a history of cesarean were included. Patients were grouped according the gestational age at birth, for 39 weeks, 40 weeks and 41 weeks gestation. These groups were further divided by either induction or spontaneous labor. Delivery method, birth weight Apgar score, gestational age, fetal demise and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) admission were all recorded. Statistical analysis with a P value