I am 35 and healthy and have a healthy pregnancy, first time mother. i wanted to have a natural birth. what is the standard of care for when induction should happen? is 42 weeks reasonable and safe to wait? or should it be earlier?

OBGYN's do stress tests which are non-invasive ways to check the reserve of the fetus during late pregnancy.The placenta matures and begins to decline in capacity over time.It can seem fine before labor but the added stress and increasing metabolic demands may make vaginal delivery harder on baby after 41 weeks. 42 is the max for many. This is something you need to clarify with the delivery team.