The normal period for bearing a child for a human is 280 days. This is approximately 9 months. Sometimes it happens that children are born prematurely, sometimes a little later.
Completely unrealistic cases of pregnancy have been recorded and we are going to discuss them in this post. The shortest gestation period is 22 weeks and the longest is 375 days. The world-famous and record-breaking pregnancy with a positive outcome was Beulah Hunter. This Los Angeles resident was pregnant for about a year.
The unique event of such a long gestation was recorded in 1945. This case was shocking for all medicine and still causes a lot of controversy and skepticism. Nevertheless, the fact of such a pregnancy exists and it is extremely interesting.
Longest Pregnancy Ever Recorder
It is worth noting that at present there are facts about other cases of long pregnancy with a positive outcome. Chinese woman Wang Shi was in position for 17 months. This woman broke the world record for gestation (375 days) which was recorded in 1945.
Wang Shi’s unique case occurred in 2016 and is now listed as the longest gestation at 17 months. It is known that Wang Shi’s child was born healthy and weighed 3 kg 800 gr at birth. However, no official fixation of this case was found. The topic was very widely covered in the press but speculated to be false.
If we talk about the officially confirmed fact of the longest pregnancy ever, then it is the case with Bella Hunter. She bears the title of the woman who bears the longest child. Pregnancy was accompanied by a lot of evidence and witnesses.
Bella Hunter is a woman who is 1945 gave birth to a daughter whom she carried for 375 days at the age of 25. It was confirmed by a doctor who documented her last menstrual cycle and first positive pregnancy test for the first time.
Baby’s and Mother’s Health After 12 Month Pregnancy
The long pregnancy of Bela Hunter was the most memorable event of those times. The completely unrealistic situation for the 45s confused all doctors. Bela has predicted a very deplorable outcome of childbirth and many did not believe her at all.
The birth went well despite the whole situation and the real risks. Bela gave birth to a girl on February 21, 1945 and named her Penny Diana. The child was born healthy without pathologies and predictable diseases. The weight of the child was 3 kg 100 g, which is considered the normal weight of a healthy newborn.
The condition of the mother during the period of gestation and the birth of the child was also good. Her pregnancy was normal only for the first 3 months. Then there was a situation with slow development.
The expectant mother felt the first stirring only for 6 months, which made her pretty nervous.
Bella’s doctor at that time was Daniel Beltz. He is the main witness of the ongoing pregnancy and childbirth. They recorded that despite the complications and abnormal course of pregnancy, the child and mother were healthy.
Possible Reasons for Longest Pregnancy Every
There was a lot of controversy and research after the whole world learned about the case with Bella Hunter. Supporters of the fact that the case is truly unique and real began to understand in more detail the possible reasons for this situation.
No one would allow a woman to carry a child for such a long time in the modern world. Modern medicine is equipped with special equipment that allows you to bear children outside the womb. However, the incident has already happened and is still tormenting the minds of millions of scientists.
What could be the reason for such a long gestation?
1. The pregnancy was terminated
This reason explaining such a long gestation is expressed by skeptics. It is assumed that Bella Hunter unknowingly lost her first child and then simply became pregnant with her second. This could be confusing, because miscarriage was not noticed by the woman herself and was not confirmed by doctors. Therefore, the period of bearing a child is not calculated correctly and is simply fiction.
2. Heredity
Far from being a skeptical reason for a prolonged pregnancy is the heredity of the mother. The woman could not give enough nutrients to the child and ensure its timely development according to some genetic prerequisites. This is due to various disorders in the work of the placenta. Placenta has the main nutritional and protective function for the fetus.
3. Hormonal problems
Hormonal background of a woman is very shaky and can change greatly during pregnancy. This can bring down the natural rhythms of gestation if there is any genetic predisposition to hormonal surges.
4. Diseases of the genitourinary system
Some researchers suggest that diseases in the woman’s body can serve as the cause of overbearing a child. Most often, these are malfunctions of the genitourinary system. Successful outcome of childbirth and development directly depends on health of mother.
5. Placenta previa
Placenta previa was considered normal until the 18th week of pregnancy. In current days, this is no longer the norm but a deviation. Scientists believe that it is a prolonged presentation that can provoke a long gestation.
6. Slow fetal development
According to doctors, delayed fetal development can provoke a protracted pregnancy. Gestation period increases significantly if the mother’s body is not able to ensure the timely development of the baby in the womb. Most scientist believe that slow fetal development is the actual reason for Bella Hunter being pregnant for over 12 month.
Bella’s child was significantly behind in its development and therefore the birth did not begin when the due date approached. There can be many factors in the development of such a situation. Scientists are still puzzled over this question.
7. Sedentary lifestyle
There is a violation of blood circulation with low mobility. This can worsen the work of the placenta. It will function poorly and feed the fetus a little during gestation, delaying its development.
8. Various diseases of the mother
The reason for the long-term bearing of a child can also be various diseases that the mother suffers from. Among them are infectious diseases, diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract, uterine fibroids and preeclampsia. At-risk are women who have suffered psychological trauma or suffer from mental illness.
Interesting facts about Longest Ever Pregnancy
The fact of pregnancy throughout the year is extremely interesting. Most consider this case to be quite real, but many skeptics find a lot of inconsistencies in the Bella Hunter case. There is a lot of scientific evidence for this.
Daniel Beltz supervised Bella’s pregnancy and provided all the documents about the course of her pregnancy. There is a fixation of the last menstrual cycle, the first movements and first heartbeat. The doctor categorically denies the option that Bella could consistently become pregnant without noticing this.
Bella’s entire pregnancy proceeded according to some kind of script. She learned about her special position only at 3 months and did not experience symptoms of toxicosis. The woman felt the first movement only at the 6th month of pregnancy, although normally it is felt at 16-18 weeks.
The first heartbeat of the baby should have been heard back in July and was discovered only in September. The child was inactive in the womb. All this indicates an extremely slow development of the fetus.
The most interesting thing for physicians is that no pathologies were found at birth. The child was not overweight and showed no signs of chronic disease. But initially, there was absolutely no reason to wait for a successful resolution of childbirth.
Possible Consequences of the Long Gestation
Pregnancy has its natural timing. This has certain consequences if a woman gestation little. The same applies to the long gestation of the fetus.
The main consequences of long gestation are distinguished:
1. Hypoxia
The prolonged bearing of a child is fraught with the development of hypoxia for him. This condition is characterized by a pathological lack of oxygen. Its deficiency poses a direct threat to the health of the child. Functions of oxygen uptake by tissues are impaired.
Oxygen starvation can also be associated with the aging of the placenta, which ceases to perform its main functions. Children diagnosed with hypoxia are born with numerous pathologies that require long-term treatment. Antibiotics and mechanical ventilation are often prescribed.
2. Thickening of the bones of the skull
A very common consequence of a long pregnancy is the hardening of the bones of the skull. They lose the property of layering on each other. This is extremely important for easy childbirth. Labor becomes very difficult and painful and can lead to injury to the child at birth.
Doctors in such situations always resort to childbirth by C-section. Giving birth naturally, in this case, is not advisable for both the health of the mother and the child.
3. Reduced immunity
There is dryness of the skin of the child with long gestation. Skin is thinned and covered with wrinkles. A child is already at birth at risk of catching an infection or virus. Natural immunity is reduced and the protective functions of the body are weakened.
4. Large baby weight
Long gestation often leads to a strong weight gain. This applies to both mother and child. Excess weight can threaten the development of many diseases for the child. The worst thing in this situation is a high probability of getting a birth injury during delivery. It is much more difficult for a large child to go through the birth canal.
5. Dangerous for the mother
Labors that are delayed are much more complicated than usual. They are characterized by an increased duration and this is extremely painful for a woman. Long gestation often ends with weak labor activity. This leads to the absence of contractions and attempts. A prolonged pregnancy creates a life-threatening situation for a woman associated with heavy bleeding.
