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Royal Baby Watch: Pregnant Duchess Of Cambridge May Be Overdue And Need To Be Induced

Rumours are rife that Kate Middleton is overdue – as sources reveal her due date may’ve been Thursday 23 April

The hoards of royal supporters camped outside the Lindo Wing at St. Mary’s Hospital may have to wait a little longer as it looks like the Duchess of Cambridge could be overdue.

It’s thought that her due date was actually four days ago, Thursday 23 April, rather than on Saturday 25 April as it was originally rumoured to be.

The Duchess of Cambridge hasn't yet gone into labour [Rex]
The Duchess of Cambridge hasn't yet gone into labour [Rex]



Whitehall sources told The Telegraph that the Duchess’ baby is now four days late – meaning that she may well need to be induced.

It’s fairly common for labour to be induced with around one in five births starting this way, as induction is offered to all women who don’t go into labour naturally by 42 weeks, NHS guidelines state.

Once past the 42-week mark, there’s a greater risk of stillbirth or problems for the baby.

However, it’s not known whether the Duchess of Cambridge has reached even the 40-week point. But if she has reached her due date already, she will no doubt have had a scan to ensure the baby is doing well.

Kate Middleton is expecting a little girl, if reports are to be believed [Getty]
Kate Middleton is expecting a little girl, if reports are to be believed [Getty]



“We tend not to leave it more than two weeks after the due date, but most mothers are getting pretty fed up once they go a week past their due date,” Pat O’Brien, a consultant obstetrician and spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, told The Telegraph.

“There are other considerations that come into play – if it’s a big baby it’s sometimes better to induce before it gets any bigger.”

Before inducing labour, pregnant women are offered a ‘membrance sweep’ (also known as a ‘cervival sweep') to get things going. If that doesn’t work, then labour may be induced by inserting a tablet or gel into the vagina, which should jump start labour within a matter of hours.

Prince George was thought to be born three days late [Rex]
Prince George was thought to be born three days late [Rex]



It’s thought that Prince George was born three days late, when he was welcomed into the world on July 22 2013.

In actuality, only three per cent of babies are born on their due date and midwives and doctors advise that pregnant couples think of their due date as more of a rough guide of when the child will arrive.

You can keep up to date with everything to do with the royal baby’s birth by following our live blog.

Was your baby late? Let us know in the comments below.

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