WEEK 40
How does the baby grow?
It’s hard to say for sure how big the baby is now but the baby weighs around 3.4kg (equivalent to the size of a small pumpkin) and is about 50.8cm long. The baby’s skull bones do not close properly, overlap a little so the baby can get through the birth canal. That’s why the top of a newborn’s head looks a bit like a tip. This condition is normal and temporary.
Changes occurring in the mother’s body during the 40th week of pregnancy
After months of waiting, the delivery date is approaching and moms are still pregnant. That was a frustrating thing indeed. This case may not be as late as moms think it is, especially if the delivery date is counted from the last day of the menstrual cycle because sometimes women ovulate later than expected. Even with a reliable delivery date, some women have longer pregnancies for no apparent reason.
Moms still have a few more weeks before being considered late. But to make sure the baby is still healthy, the doctor will do some tests to check and decide whether moms should continue the pregnancy.
Moms may have a series of tests, including an ultrasound to look at the baby’s overall movement, breathing activity, and muscle tone as well as the amount of amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby. Monitoring of fetal heart rate will also be conducted – separately or together with the above tests.
The doctor will also check the cervix to see if it ripens. The position, softness, thinness, and dilatation (opening) of the cervix can affect when and how the labor stimulation will come. If moms’ body does not start labor on its own, moms will be affected, usually between the 41st week and the 42nd week.
