Final answer:
The term for no delivery by 42 weeks is 'post-term pregnancy' or 'prolonged pregnancy.' Pitocin is administered to induce labor when it is not progressing naturally. Newborn babies have a high risk of dehydration due to their unique physiological characteristics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term for no delivery by 42 weeks (294 days since the last menstrual period) is known as post-term pregnancy or prolonged pregnancy. This occurs when a pregnancy exceeds 42 complete weeks or is past the expected due date. An IV infusion of pitocin, a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin, is often administered to induce labour in cases such as Janine's, where she is 41 weeks pregnant but labor is not progressing effectively, indicated by mild contractions and minimal cervical dilation. Pitocin helps stimulate more frequent and stronger contractions to progress labor.
When a newborn takes its first breath, the circulatory pattern changes dramatically. Before birth, the baby's lungs are filled with fluid and the fetus relies on the placenta for oxygen and waste removal. With the first breath, the lungs expand, increasing oxygen in the blood. This causes a decrease in resistance in the pulmonary blood vessels and the functional closure of fetal cardiac shunts like the ductus arteriosus and the foramen ovale, redirecting blood flow through the lungs and establishing the breathing process.
Newborns are at higher risk for dehydration due to their higher metabolic rate, greater body surface area relative to their body volume, and limited ability to concentrate urine compared to adults. This makes maintaining fluid balance critical for a newborn's health.