Defining "Term" Pregnancy

HE NATIONAL EMPHASIS ON REDUCING PRETERM BIRTH, and the increase in scheduled deliveries, has created confusion around the definition of term gestation. The concept of “term” gestation provides guidance to clinicians and influences the public’s perceptionsabouttheoptimaltimingofdeliveryforahealthypregnancy. Currently, a term birth is defined as a delivery that occursneitherpretermnorpostterm.Becausepretermisclassically defined as delivery prior to 37 weeks following the onset of the last menstrual period and postterm as after 42 weeks,termhasbeenconventionallydefinedasdeliverybetween 37 and 42 weeks. The International Classification of Diseasesdefinestermpregnancyasdeliverybetween37weeks