04/08/2025
You’ve probably heard the term “aging placenta”, especially in conversations around induction, due dates, or risks of going past 40 weeks. It’s a phrase that sounds scientific, even alarming. But here’s the truth, the concept of the placenta simply “aging” like spoiled produce is not only misleading, it’s largely unsupported by strong scientific evidence.
Yes, the placenta changes as pregnancy progresses, just like every organ in our body does over time. It matures. It adapts. It evolves to meet the growing needs of your baby. But these natural, expected changes are often pathologized without context. Saying a placenta is “aging” implies dysfunction, and yet, most placentas continue to function beautifully well beyond 40 weeks in healthy pregnancies.
The idea of a deteriorating placenta is often used to justify inductions, especially after 39 weeks. But current research doesn’t show a sudden or predictable drop in placental function at any exact point in time. Placental “calcifications” seen on ultrasounds (often cited as signs of aging) are common, non-specific, and not well correlated with outcomes. In fact, studies show that many full-term and post-term babies have perfectly healthy placentas.
It’s important to remember this, true placental insufficiency is a real (but rare) medical condition, and it usually comes with other clinical signs, like growth restriction or abnormal doppler readings or NST's. Simply being 40+ weeks pregnant is not, in itself, a reason to assume the placenta is failing.
So, let’s shift the narrative. The placenta is not a ticking time bomb. It is a dynamic, resilient organ that often serves mother and baby well throughout the natural length of pregnancy, even when that journey extends past the due date.
-Danielle
