Pregnancy

Fortieth week of pregnancy

Welcome to the 40th week of pregnancy! Will it be today? Will it be tomorrow? Whatever happens, it’s not long now!

Weight and length at 40 weeks

Month 9th month
Gestational age from 39+0 to 39+6
Length of the fetus (*) 50.7cm
Weight of the fetus (*) 3403 grams
Weight gain (**) +15.5kg
Moms group March 2023

 

How many months is 40 weeks pregnant?

At week 40 you are at the end of the ninth month of gestation. To know the exact correspondence between months and weeks of pregnancy you can use our conversion table .

40 per week: frequent symptoms

How your body changes

Rest and relaxation

Congratulations! This is the last official week of pregnancy , or so one hopes. Surely you are at the mercy of a thousand conflicting emotions: on the one hand you are impatient to conclude the pregnancy, on the other you may have some fears in view of the birth. Try to distract yourself and relax as much as possible , alone, with your partner or loved ones. And if you find it hard to sleep during the night, try to restore some energy with an afternoon nap .

The onset of labor

Your body prepares for the big moment and when it arrives you will feel the Braxton-Hicks contractions become more frequent, intense and painful and begin to appear in a regular rhythm .

These preparatory contractions serve to shorten and soften the cervix , which in the next stage will begin to dilate to allow the passage of the baby. 

To ease the pain, try walking , breathing deeply , or taking a warm bath . If you feel like it, you can have a light and nutritious snack and drink fruit juice or sweetened tea , to stock up on energy.

When the contractions last about 40-60 seconds , occur at regular intervals of 5 minutes and have started for at least an hour , the time has come to take the birth bag and run to meet your baby!

40 weeks pregnant and no symptoms?

If you’re  40 weeks pregnant and still don’t feel any symptoms that labor is approaching, try to stay calm.

While this should theoretically be your last week of pregnancy, your little one may still be waiting a little longer, especially if it’s your first child. According to estimates, in fact, about 30% of births occur after the expected date of birth .

The reason is that the calculation of the weeks of pregnancy is based on a conventional count , which does not take into account the date of conception and the length of the menstrual cycle (which may be longer than the normal 28 days). For this reason, pregnancy is considered physiological up to 42 weeks , although in most cases, for the safety of mother and child, it is preferable not to wait beyond the 41st week to induce labour.

How the child grows

It measures about 51 centimeters , the same as a watermelon , and weighs about 3.4 kilograms , even if the length and above all the weight can vary a lot at birth.

Perfect… or almost!

After nine long months, your little one is fully formed, though the brain , gut and immune system will continue to mature after birth.

Right now, the skeleton consists of 300 bones (as many as 94 more than an adult!). This number, however, will decrease as they grow, as many will merge with each other.

In particular, the bones of the skull are flexible and have not yet bonded. In this way, as they pass through the birth canal, they will be able to slightly overlap each other, making it easier for the little head to come out.

For this reason, if at birth you notice that your baby’s head appears a little stretched , don’t worry: it will return to normal within a few weeks.

A true protagonist

You may not know it, but your baby will actively participate in the birth with a far from secondary role. First of all, he will be the one to send a hormonal signal to the placenta, to stimulate it to start labor. In addition, he will contribute to the production of oxytocin , the hormone responsible for uterine contractions. Finally, he will push and rotate inside the vaginal canal with reflex movements , which will allow him to reduce his size and proceed more easily towards the exit. But that’s not all: after birth, once placed on your chest, he will be able to “climb” with his own strength up to the breastfor breastfeeding, guided by the special scent of your nipples!

Nestled in the belly

Even if your baby is ready to be born, it’s not necessarily the right time. Although the space is increasingly restricted, the uterus may still seem like a welcoming nest, in which to remain perfectly curled up , with the legs crossed. When you see him curling up in the same position in his first days of life , you’ll wonder how he managed to stay inside you!

Do you know that…

As soon as you are born, your baby’s health will be assessed on the basis of the Apgar index , which takes into account heart rate , respiration , muscle tone , reflexes and skin colour . The score obtained will allow you to evaluate the degree of well-being of your little one.

For the dad

Dad, did you know that having sex in the last weeks of pregnancy could help start labor ? If your partner has no particular problems and the gynecologist hasn’t contraindicated it, it’s worth a try! But be careful: penetration should be avoided if the water has already broken , in order not to run the risk of infection. 

Checks and exams to do

At the 40th week  the so-called term checks usually begin , which can vary depending on the chosen structure. They typically include the following exams.

  • Obstetric ultrasound

It is used to control the amount of amniotic fluid and, consequently, also the well-being of the baby. Furthermore, if necessary, it allows you to measure the size of the fetus and verify that it is receiving enough nourishment.

  • External cardiotocography

Also called monitoring , it is used to monitor  the baby’s heartbeat and uterine contractions .

Tips for the 40th week of pregnancy

  • Continue to pay attention to fetal movements . If you notice something different in your usual activity, don’t hesitate to contact your gynecologist or go to the hospital for the necessary checks.
  • Ask your gynecologist or midwife how you can naturally stimulate the onset of labor. One of the recommended techniques, for example, is to apply hot compresses on the nipples , to promote the release of oxytocin.
  • Friends and relatives keep calling or texting you to find out if your baby is born? Explain to them that you will notify them when it’s time or turn on the answering machine!
  • In the first months of a child’s life, mothers tend to suffer a little loneliness. For this reason, our suggestion is to immediately start informing yourself about the offers dedicated to new mothers in your city. In addition to post-natal assistance services (baby weighing, breastfeeding areas) there are various courses and activities that can represent an excellent opportunity for socialization and recreation.
Dr Kathryn Barlow

Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.

Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.

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