Monitoring your pregnancy

When you’re more than one week past your due date, your health care provider might do a test that measures the baby’s heart rate (nonstress test). That test may be combined with an ultrasound exam to check the baby’s heart rate, breathing, muscle tone and movement (biophysical profile). The amniotic fluid usually is checked too.

Based on these tests, your health care provider may recommend labor induction. Labor induction starts uterine contractions before labor begins on its own.