Amongst 3 billion bases of DNA lurks some 10 million points of genetic variation, making us who we are as individuals. We identify genetic variants associated with being born later than expected. These variants are in non-coding regions of the DNA. The evidence indicates that they affect genes that are a long way away within the linear DNA sequence, but very close within the three-dimensional organization of the genome. Inducing labour does not change an individual’s genetic post-term potential. The long-term risks for induced individuals who have post-term potential may be a major issue for current health providers. (By Dr. Justin M. O’Sullivan, http://jmg.bmj.com/content/early/2017/10/10/jmedgenet-2017-104880 )

Wayne Cutfield, William Schierding, Justin O’Sullivan, Jisha Antony, and Julia Horsfield