Early Labor Signs at 35 Weeks: Will The Baby Be Okay?
My wife is 35 weeks pregnant and starting to have early labor signs. If the baby is born now, does it have a good chance to live and be healthy?
Question:Peg Plumbo CNM
Peg Plumbo has been a certified nurse-midwife (CNM) since 1976. She has assisted at over 1,000 births and currently teaches in the... Read more
Yes, indeed, if your wife has had an uneventful pregnancy up to this point and is in good health (non-smoker, no drug use, infections, etc.) your baby has an excellent chance of being born and staying healthy. All organs are developed and able to function. The last month is mostly spent putting on weight.
The baby may need support to maintain body temperature, as fat stores will be minimal, and you may find that his or her glucose levels initially need help stabilizing. Due to lower than normal levels of surfactant, a substance that allows for easy lung expansion, some near-term babies get "tired" breathing and occasionally have to be on a respirator and on special medications that help them breathe without becoming exhausted.
I hope all goes well for you. Thirty-five weeks is really only three weeks from what most consider to be term.
Good luck.
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