"Prolonged pregnancy" is defined as, beginning from the "expected date", calculation of expected method is from last menstrual day onward, adding another 280 days which will be the expected date, that is, meaning pregnancy in 40 weeks or around 10 months period. If expected date of birth is exceed the 2 weeks time period (that is, 42 weeks of pregnancy) this is consider "prolonged pregnancy", and mother with twins, if it has exceed the 40 weeks pregnancy period is also consider "prolonged pregnancy."

To accurately calculate the baby's birth date is very difficult because the growth rate of each baby is different, on the other hand with the miscalculation of the mother’s last menstrual period before pregnancy, so about 5% of the fetuses will be just in the expected date of birth, most mothers will give two weeks before the expected date of childbirth. Doctor first recommended for pregnant women over the expected date of 7 to 10 days, using induction method, guiding the fetus to "birth." Since fetal water (ie membranes) has accumulated in the meconium, the longer the baby is in their mother tummy, the chance of fetal meconium eat the higher impact of the baby's health. On the other hand, parents will start to worry with their psychological pressure will continue to increase when baby are still not coming out. So when the over due birth mother after the period of 7 to 10 days with no birth signs, the doctor will recommend to hasten child delivery methods.

Two types of commonly used induction drugs;

1. Will depend the hardness and direction on the cervix of pregnant women, such as pregnant women’s cervical is soft and lean forward, will choose to get through the amniotic fluid together with the intravenous injection induction drug. Although water births have the chance of bacteria entering the fetus, but as long pregnant women successfully give birth within 24 hours, has little effect on the baby.

2. If the cervix remained unchanged and at the rear, that is not suitable for the procedure, the doctor will placed prostaglandin drug in the vaginal area to soften the cervix for birth procedure.

However, if an assessment indicated that the pregnant mother is not suitable to the two induction methods, doctor will proposed the laparotomy procedure to ensure the safety of the mother and child. To take note that if the pregnant mother have gone through laparotomy or other gynecological surgery that causes uterine scarring before, and then applying the induction method, this would increase the risk, doctors selecting which suitable induction method needed to be particularly careful when evaluating.