37 or 38 Weeks: What Should you Choose?

The concept of early-term infants—those born at 37 or 38 weeks—has gained increasing attention in recent decades as healthcare providers want to better understand the risks associated with delivery before full term (after 39 weeks). A recent study involving 4,669 infants illustrates short-term outcomes for early-term infants, indicating some concerning trends that practitioners must be aware of.

Compared to infants born at 39 weeks or later, early-term infants are at a significantly higher risk for conditions such as hospitalization, hypoglycemia, and apnea. When analyzing 37 and 38 weeks of gestation separately, the study found that infants born at 37 weeks had even higher odds for hospitalization, feeding disorders, hypoglycemia, and apnea. These findings indicate that infants born at 37 weeks face greater risks than those born at 38 weeks, emphasizing the importance of gestational age in early-term deliveries.

With more infants being born early-term, healthcare practitioners must recognize these risks, as many of these infants are managed similarly to those born full-term. Early-term deliveries, particularly those performed via elective cesarean section, require careful planning and consideration. Since infants born at 38 weeks show better outcomes than those born at 37 weeks, elective cesarean sections should be scheduled at 38 weeks whenever possible to reduce potential complications.

As research continues to evolve, the healthcare community must remain vigilant in ensuring that early-term infants receive the attention and care they need to improve their short-term and long-term health outcomes.

Kitamura T, Tabata K, Murano Y, et al. Short-term outcomes in early term infants (born at 37 or 38 weeks): A retrospective investigation. Frontiers in Pediatrics, 12, 1430364. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2024.1430364