Choices in Managing Full-Term Pregnancy

The distribution of the length of gestation at delivery in the United States has changed dramatically over the past 25 years. The percentage of all deliveries during the 39th or 40th week of gestation has increased, while the dispersion around that peak has narrowed considerably; this change is even more dramatic for singleton pregnancies. In 2015, a total of 60.2% of all singletons were delivered during the 39th or 40th week, 7.1% were delivered at 41 weeks or later, and 0.4% were delivered at 42 weeks or later (a decline from 0.6% in 2007).1 Yet perinatal mortality at 41 weeks . . .