Post-term pregnancy is defined as a pregnancy that continues beyond how many weeks?

• A. After 42 weeks
• B. After 40 weeks
• C. After 41 weeks
• D. After 43 weeks

Answer: (D)

Post-term pregnancy means the pregnancy has gone beyond the usual length of gestation, at which point risks to the fetus increase and closer monitoring is needed. In most obstetrics references, the line is drawn after 42 completed weeks, because that’s when the risk profile starts to rise. In this particular item, the threshold is set at after 43 weeks, so the pregnancy is considered post-term once it reaches 43 weeks or more. The idea behind this is that the longer the pregnancy continues, the more careful fetal surveillance and planning for potential induction are needed due to risks like placental insufficiency and oligohydramnios. So the correct choice reflects this late-term cutoff as defined in the test’s framework.