When the gestation period approaches 39 weeks, the expectant mother is in constant readiness. Labor may begin at any moment. This event is very desirable, but causes fear and excitement - how everything goes. What happens to the baby and his mother this week, we will tell in more detail.
How many months is it?
The 39th week of pregnancy, as calculated by the attending physician and ultrasound data, is the obstetric standard for calculating the gestational age. It differs from the real one by about 2 weeks, since the starting point is the first day of the last menstruation before conception. Thus, 39 weeks is 37 embryonic weeks.
In normal calendar terms, it took 8 months and 3 weeks, or about 274 days. Until the expected date of birth indicated in the exchange card of a pregnant woman, there are still about 7 days, but this does not mean that labor will begin on the day indicated - this probability is no more than 6-7%.
All other births, according to statistics, occur either earlier than PDD, or later. At 39 weeks, labor begins in about 40% of women.
What is the baby like?
During the time spent in the mother's womb, the baby became very large, he learned a lot.
Most of the parameters at this time are purely individual, therefore do not blindly rely on average statistical norms, your baby is now the way he will be born very soon.
Weight and height
The weight of the fetus at 39 weeks usually exceeds 3 kilograms. There are especially "outstanding" babies, whose body weight is equal to 4 kilograms and even more, and there are small and miniature boys and girls, whose weight this week hardly reaches 2900 grams.
In the embryonic period, all babies grew at approximately the same rate, and therefore a deviation from the average norms was considered an important diagnostic sign of the state of the fetus.
Now the range of normal values is large: both a three-kilogram baby and one whose weight is over 4 kilograms fit into the values of the norms due to features of the course of this pregnancy and genetic predisposition - the child inherits physique and complexion from his parents.
The growth of babies at 39 weeks of gestation is more than 50 centimeters. Possible fluctuations of this parameter are from 48 centimeters to 58 centimeters. The estimated weight can be established by ultrasound with a small error.
Growth is difficult to measure, since the coccygeal-parietal size is not measured at this time - the baby has become large, only individual parts of his body can be measured.
Fetometry
An ultrasound scan for this period is not mandatory, but it can be performed at the request of the pregnant woman herself in a paid clinic or in consultation for medical reasons. Also, an ultrasound scan is done upon admission to the maternity hospital in a planned manner.
When scanning with ultrasound waves, the key dimensions of the baby are determined. At 39 weeks, the following average rates are characteristic:
- biparietal head size - 94-95 mm (allowable range - 86-102 mm);
- frontal-occipital head size - 119 mm (acceptable range 108-129 mm);
- femur length - 73-74 mm (norm range from 68 to 79 mm);
- leg bone length - 65-66 mm (normal range 61 to 71 mm);
- humerus length - 64-65 mm (values from 60 to 70 mm are permissible);
- the length of the forearm bones - 56-57 mm (acceptable from 51 to 60 mm);
- tummy circumference - 336-342 mm.
The baby continues to grow, but not as intensively as a month earlier. If childbirth does not occur this week, then by 39-40 weeks of gestation, the baby will gain no more than 50-100 grams in weight and no more than 0.5-1 cm in height.
Nervous system
The nervous system of the fetus at 39 weeks continues its formation and development, unlike other body systems that have already formed and work almost like in adults. The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) is physically formed, but their functions continue to improve. So far, sensitive analyzers, glial tissue and those parts of the facial nerve that are responsible for sucking are mature. The rest has yet to be learned, and the process will be continuous after birth.
The kid already owns 70 reflex movements, which are provided by nature for human survival - he will close his eyes in response to a bright light, make a swallowing movement when food or saliva gets into his mouth, shudder at a sharp loud sound, curl up when pain appears in the abdominal region and etc.
Every day, new neural connections are laid in the brain and the system of branched nerve endings of the fetus, new neuromuscular reactions appear. Already, the brain of the baby "controls" the movements of the limbs, the phases of wakefulness and sleep, and even emotions. The baby in the womb feels well the mood of the mother, can worry and rejoice with her.
Internal organ development
The internal organs are fully developed, the mother may not worry that one of them is not ripe. Even the lungs are considered ripe at week 39. They have accumulated the necessary amount of surfactant - a substance necessary for spontaneous breathing, without which the alveoli would stick together, interfering with the opening of the lungs immediately after birth.
The baby's digestive system is working as it should:
- the stomach digests the amniotic fluid swallowed by the crumbs;
- all the necessary enzymes for the digestion of food in a child are produced independently;
- there are villi in the intestines, which are needed for the absorption of nutrients;
- a considerable amount of green-black feces, which is called primordial meconium, has accumulated in the rectum. After birth, the baby will empty it, thereby the intestines will enter a normal rhythm of work in the new habitat.
The child's bladder and kidneys function as they will after birth - the baby pees about once an hour. The heart beats at about 157 beats per minute. The genitals are fully formed, the testicles in most of the boys descended into the scrotum.
Stirring
Women feel less movements this week. But in their severity, they become more painful. The reasons for this are in a decrease in the amount of amniotic fluid and the location of the baby. It now occupies all the free space of the uterine cavity, and the uterus itself occupies almost all the space of the abdominal cavity.
The uterine walls tightly fit the child's body, which is why the movements are painful. The number of movements is somewhat reduced due to the fact that the child has practically no room for movement. It is grouped, tightly pulling the legs and arms to fit in the uterus.
At 39 weeks, something new appears in his pose - he pulls his chin tightly against his chest. This position helps him to be more "compact".
A certain lull in the stomach should not scare a woman. If in 12 hours she manages to record 10 or more different movements, including light movements, then there is no reason for worry.
Lack of movement for 5-6 hours is a reason to see a doctor. Active and sharp movements that do not subside for a long time can also be a sign of hypoxia. Medical consultation is required.
Appearance
The baby at 39 weeks looks plump and plump. During the third trimester, he actively accumulated subcutaneous fat. Thanks to him, the skin ceased to be red-purple, the numerous wrinkles that covered the baby's body earlier were completely smoothed out.
The Lanugo Fluffy is also gone, no longer needed. In rare cases, children are born with lanugo, which has not completely disappeared - the skin hair in this case disappears during the first weeks of life.
The white and thick original grease that the baby was covered with is also no longer needed, it remains as protection only in the groin area and in the folds of the arms and legs, that is, where there is a possibility of mechanical chafing.
The baby's facial features are fully formed. He has very developed facial muscles, which give him the ability to build a wide variety of grimaces and faces.
The genitals of boys and girls, as well as the mammary glands of babies of both sexes, look somewhat swollen at this time. This is due to the strong effect of estrogens - hormones that are produced before childbirth in the body of the expectant mother.
Many babies at 39 obstetric weeks have thick hair on their heads. But the scalp is not considered mandatory. This is an individual trait.
Sense organs
A baby at 39 weeks is theoretically able to distinguish objects at a distance of up to 30 centimeters. But for this he must first be born. In the meantime, he opens his eyes, sees outlines, light spots, distinguishes darkness from light well.
The hearing of the crumbs at this time is more perfect - it was formed before vision and has already managed to reach a certain level. The baby now hears his mother well - her heart, the work of the intestines, the rumble of blood running through the arteries.
He knows her voice, as well as the voices of dad and other household members who are always nearby. Reacts with fright to loud unexpected sounds, for example, to the alarm clock.
The fruit distinguishes taste nuances well - the receptors on its tongue and the inner surface of the cheeks are fully functional. Smells are not yet available to the baby, because he does not yet have nasal breathing. However, all the necessary receptors are already available, and immediately after birth, the baby will begin to smell, and soon distinguish them. He will be the first to study the smell of mom, her milk and will not confuse it with anything else.
Immunity
The immune system is fully formed. She has already begun to work, but is still very weak. Without additional protection, the baby can die after childbirth, because from the sterile environment in which he stays, he will enter a world full of bacteria and viruses.
To eliminate this possibility, nature has provided for the exchange of antibodies. Mom, through her blood, gives the baby antibodies to those diseases that she herself suffered, if immunity is formed to them, as well as to the ailments from which she was vaccinated.
Congenital immunity is stronger in children who are in no hurry to be born. The aging placenta gradually loses its barrier function, and more antibodies pass through it.
Maternal protection will not be permanent. It protects the baby only for a few months after birth. Then their own immune defenses will begin to grow stronger and "learn" from diseases and vaccinations.
How does mom feel?
Feelings of a future mother at 39 weeks cannot be called light and comfortable. The belly is so large that it becomes difficult for a woman to breathe, it is difficult for her to carry out everyday activities and move. Some relief comes only when the stomach sinks. For many at this time, it has already dropped, the rest will have it in the very next days.
Pain sensations
Pain at week 39 is very varied. Most often, expectant mothers complain that they pull on the lower back, pain and "lumbago" are in the coccyx, pubic bone, back aches and pains. Unpleasant aching sensations in the back and lower back are the consequences of a shift in the center of gravity due to a grown and heavy abdomen. To balance the body of a pregnant woman, the back muscles have to work hard.
Pain in the perineum and in the pubic area is a consequence of the action of the hormone relaxin, which is produced in large quantities in late pregnancy to soften the pelvic bones, ligaments, and pubic articulation.
The process of divergence is accompanied by pain syndrome, which intensifies when walking, when trying to get up from a horizontal position of the body, when climbing stairs.
If symphysitis is not diagnosed, there is nothing to worry about. Pain will go away after childbirth, and childbirth is just around the corner. In the meantime, "No-Shpa" will help reduce pain.
Many women claim that headaches often occur at 39 weeks. This may be due to a nervous factor, because the expectant mother is nervous in anticipation of the onset of labor. Headache also accompanies hypertension, a condition in which blood pressure builds up on the walls of blood vessels. If you are prone to hypertension, you should control the level of pressure twice a day. With an increase in blood pressure, you should call an ambulance and agree to hospitalization.
The chest in this obstetric week hurts due to the restructuring in the body, which "started" hormones. Previously, progesterone was responsible for the process of carrying a baby, now estrogens are replacing it. Colostrum may ooze from the breast. Due to false, training contractions, abdominal pains, in nature, reminiscent of a pulling sensation as during menstruation, can disturb.
Allocations
Most pregnant women at obstetric week 39 have a slight increase in the amount of vaginal secretions. Discharge that is odorless, of a thin consistency, light or transparent are considered normal.
If a woman notices a watery discharge on a pantyliner or on underwear, this may indicate a leakage of amniotic fluid. It is possible to determine exactly whether water is leaking with the help of a pharmacy amniotest, as well as at an appointment with a gynecologist.
Leakage of water cannot be ignored, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. Water can drain entirely. The outpouring in this case is abundant, it is impossible to confuse it with anything else. Pay attention to the color of the waters. If they are transparent, then there is no reason to worry.
A greenish tint is a sign of fetal distress, in which an intrauterine defecation occurred. This happens when the umbilical cord is entwined, with hypoxia. In any case, the leakage and discharge of water is a reason to go to the hospital.
Mucous discharge in clots of pink, cream color, interspersed with streaks of blood can indicate the discharge of a mucous plug, which closed the cervical canal throughout pregnancy, protecting the fetus and the uterine cavity from bacteria and foreign bodies.
The passage of the plug is considered a sign that labor is about to begin. If the plug does not come off, then the time has not come yet. The cork can come off in whole or in parts within a few days. If she's gone, you should go to the hospital, even if the contractions have not yet begun.
White discharge with a sour odor may indicate the development of thrush against the background of a changed hormonal background. Greenish and gray discharge most often "signals" the presence of infection in the genital tract.
Thrush and infections, if time permits, should be treated before delivery. If you do not have time, you will have to give birth in the observation department, and the risk of infection of the baby will be high.
Digestion
Digestive problems are a separate topic of conversation. At 39 weeks, a woman can suffer from a full range of gastroenterological "problems" - diarrhea, nausea, severe heartburn, constipation and even vomiting. The reason lies not even in diet or lifestyle, but in a large and heavy uterus, which mechanically compresses the organs of the digestive system.
The stomach is compressed from below, which leads to the reflux of gastric juice into the esophagus, this causes heartburn, even with proper and balanced nutrition.
The gallbladder is pressed on both sides, the outflow of bile is disturbed, as a result of which the woman is nauseous and nauseous, pains are observed in the right side and right hypochondrium. The bowel loops are pulled back by the uterus, squeezed along the front line, as a result - loose stools, gas, constipation.
Some women become dehydrated with diarrhea. Diarrhea often "cleans" the body before childbirth, drives out all unnecessary and completely unnecessary during childbirth.
A small percentage of pregnant women state that at 39 weeks an unusual appetite appeared. The rest of the appetite decreases.
The weight of the pregnant woman this week may decrease. Hormones, which now prepare the female body for childbirth, contribute to the removal of intercellular fluid from the tissues, due to this, as well as due to the "thinner" placenta and the decreased amount of water, the woman becomes 0.5-1 kg lighter.
Immunity
Against the background of global rearrangements in the body, a woman's immunity may temporarily weaken, so colds, acute respiratory viral infections, acute respiratory infections or flu in the last weeks of bearing a baby are not such a rarity.
Many women complain of frequent urination and pain while emptying the bladder. Such cystitis before childbirth is most often also a consequence of a weak immune defense.
The urge to urinate frequently without cramps and pain in the process is a feature of late pregnancy. The baby presses the head on the bladder and nerve endings. After giving birth, these unpleasant symptoms will disappear.
Possible problems
A woman's condition at 39 weeks can be quite unsightly. Digestive problems add insomnia, dizziness, feeling tired and weak. The hormones-estrogens and the understandable excitement and experiences that a woman is exposed to on the eve of childbirth are to blame for everything.
Insufficient sleep leads to the fact that the woman feels weak during the day, she constantly wants to sleep. The mood changes like the weather by the sea - tearfulness, irritability, increased sensitivity to everything that happens make a woman very vulnerable.
The head is dizzy and aching, the constant expectation of symptoms indicating the onset of labor is exhausting. To one degree or another, these manifestations at 39 weeks are characteristic of all pregnant women. In addition to them, more serious complications may arise.
Gestosis
Such a complication can develop at any time, and it is considered life-threatening for the baby and his mother. Symptoms can be manifested by the appearance of edema, or they can be hidden.
The causes of gestosis are not fully understood. Swelling of the legs and arms, as well as the face and the anterior abdominal wall, a woman can consider herself, but only a doctor can establish the fact of hidden, internal edema, the most dangerous.
If you suspect that your legs are swollen (there are traces of the elastic band of the socks, the worn and previously comfortable shoes have become small) or hands (engagement ring crashes) be sure to inform your doctor about this.
If the edema does not go away a few hours after waking up, if a woman is diagnosed with protein in the urine, high blood pressure, then she will be offered to go to the hospital without fail and with a high degree of probability will be offered delivery by stimulating labor or performing a cesarean section (this will depend on features of pregnancy).
Hemorrhoids and varicose veins
The pressure of the uterus on the lower veins at 39 weeks can lead to unpleasant and very painful symptoms of hemorrhoids. Violation of the blood supply to the hemorrhoidal veins leads to the formation of nodes, sometimes with their subsequent loss outside the anus.
Most likely, a woman will not have time to completely treat hemorrhoids before childbirth, especially since labor provokes the return of symptoms. A woman can get rid of pain and anal bleeding now with the help of medications that a doctor will approve of her. It will be possible to cure the disease until the end after childbirth.
Varicose veins in the legs have the same causes as the appearance of hemorrhoids. Pregnant women are allowed to take venotonic drugs in ointments and gels, as well as apply a loose bandage from an elastic bandage.
Allergy
The causes of allergies on the eve of childbirth are not fully understood by medicine. Most likely, the cause of the manifestation or the initial appearance of an allergic reaction to something is all the same female sex hormones, which trigger several processes in the body that are important for preparing for childbirth.
If the allergy manifests itself precisely at 39 weeks, you need to talk about this with your doctor. A runny nose and cough of an allergic nature are well removed with antihistamines, their use in the third trimester is not contraindicated, but this possibility must be discussed with a doctor.
It is also advisable to enlist the support of an allergist, who will give a certificate that a woman's runny nose is of an allergic nature.so that during admission to the maternity hospital, the staff does not suspect an infection, and the woman is not placed in the observation unit.
Placenta and water
The normal thickness of the placenta for 39 weeks is 33-34 mm. "Children's place" still continues to nourish the baby, provide him with nutrients and oxygen from the mother's blood, excretion of his waste products, but the placenta is aging quite naturally, decreases in mass and volume. She begins to cope worse with the responsibilities assigned to her by nature. The degree of maturity of the placenta at this time is the third.
The amniotic fluid index, which is used to determine the amount of amniotic fluid, at 39 weeks on average is at the level of 127-226 mm. Severe low water is considered to be less than 63 mm, and polyhydramnios at this time are said if the index exceeds 226 mm.
Fetal presentation
The baby is now in the position in which the childbirth will find him. Most of the children are in the head presentation. By week 39, the head is usually lowered and pressed against the exit of the small pelvis.
If the head has not yet descended, this will be reported during an ultrasound scan. It can go down in primiparas long before childbirth, and in multiparous ones - just before childbirth.
If the baby is now in breech presentation (his butt is adjacent to the exit from the small pelvis) or lies across the uterine cavity (in transverse presentation), then, most likely, his position will not change, because there is no more room in the uterus for free coups of the already large fetus. The woman will be assigned a date for a planned caesarean section. With a high degree of probability, she has already been appointed exactly 39 weeks or a week later.
Signs of an imminent birth
In a twin pregnancy, childbirth at 38-39 weeks is the most likely outcome of events. With a singleton pregnancy, the probability of labor onset right now is just over 40%. However, these are just statistics, in fact, the child will appear when he is fully ready for this.
Women at this time are worried about the question of whether they can find out the signs of the onset of labor. We will help you understand them.
Primiparous
If the pregnancy is the first, then women usually have more time to calmly get to the hospital, because their birth process is slower. At the first full-term pregnancy, prognosis is a thankless task.
Symptoms, which are popularly called harbingers, can begin long before the actual onset of labor. So, the belly of primiparous often drops several weeks before the birth of the baby, therefore, abdominal prolapse cannot be considered an unconditional sign of starting labor.
Much more informative signs are the discharge of the mucous plug and amniotic fluid. Leakage of amniotic fluid without contractions is also the basis for sending to the hospital, since the water level can reach a minimum critical level, and the anhydrous period will not benefit the child.
Contractions are the undeniable start of labor. When they start, no one will say, but real contractions are strikingly different from false, training ones, which can occur several weeks before the onset of labor.
During training bouts, pulling pain in the lower back, in the lower abdomen, the periodic tone of the uterus does not have a certain periodicity and cyclicality, they quickly disappear if the woman lies down to rest.
With true contractions, their frequency and duration increase. You should go to the hospital when the contractions are repeated every 10 minutes.
Before giving birth, many women begin to actively clean up, clean up the house. This is how the nesting instinct manifests itself. But it cannot be reliably considered a sign of an imminent birth. Often before giving birth, a woman has diarrhea a couple of days before giving birth. This is a cleansing of the body, it is necessary and quite natural.
Multiparous
Harbingers of childbirth in multiparous women are the same, but they proceed a little faster. So, the belly of a woman during the second or third pregnancy can go down just before childbirth, and training contractions start 3-4 days before the baby is born.
In case of repeated childbirth, it is important to notice true contractions in time and go to the obstetric facility as soon as possible, after all, in women who have already had a chance to give birth naturally, the opening of the cervix, its internal and external pharynx, sometimes occurs almost simultaneously, which increases the likelihood of a quick, precipitous birth.
As in the case of the first birth, you need to go to the hospital without waiting for contractions, if the water has departed. In the absence of independent labor, doctors will be able to induce contractions and stimulate labor with the use of medications.
Stimulation is indicated only for those pregnant women who have no contraindications for natural childbirth.
According to reviews, many expectant mothers before the second or third birth experience a feeling of anxiety, the inability to sit in one place, they are thrown into heat and cold, the temperature may rise slightly - up to 37.0 degrees or slightly higher.
How to speed up labor?
The woman's desire to give birth at 39 weeks as soon as possible is quite understandable, because the expectant mother is very tired of carrying the baby, everything hurts, she wants to get a full sleep. Therefore, the question of how to speed up labor during a full-term pregnancy is one of the most pressing. One can argue about the expediency of these actions for a long time, but it is obvious that a baby who does not want to be born yet will not "ask" outside, no matter how hard the expectant mother tries.
There are several ways proven by generations of women. The most effective is the so-called "Muzherapy". Even doctors admit that sex helps women prepare for childbirth. Orgasm stimulates the uterine muscles, and semen contains prostaglandins - hormones that relax, smooth and soften the cervix - a prerequisite for the onset of normal labor.
Sex at week 39 is contraindicated only in some cases - when the mucous plug is released, if the partner has an infection, as well as in case of individual threatening factors, which the attending physician will definitely inform the woman about.
To increase the chances of the onset of labor, many women practice squats, active walking in the fresh air or up the stairs, special gymnastics in which the muscles of the perineum are trained.
Doubtful ways include artificial diarrhea, which women cause by drinking magnesium or castor oil. Both magnesia and castor oil are powerful laxatives. An expectant mother can overdo it and cause indomitable diarrhea.
Tips for drinking champagne or red wine don't hold water at all. Alcohol dilates blood vessels. This cannot in any way cause contractions or the discharge of amniotic fluid, but it can harm the baby, because he will receive his dose of intoxicating crumbs with the mother's blood.
If childbirth begins after taking alcohol (solely by coincidence!), Then alcohol in the blood increases the likelihood of bleeding during the birth of the baby and the afterbirth, because blood clotting from intoxicating drinks decreases.
The advice to drink coffee should also be treated with caution - coffee raises blood pressure, and hypertension at 39 weeks gestation can cause a lot of trouble for both the woman herself and the obstetricians who will give birth to her.
Analyzes and examinations
At 39 obstetric week, no new diagnostic tests are performed on the woman. If she is still at home, then a scheduled visit to the antenatal clinic for an appointment with an obstetrician-gynecologist is considered mandatory.
A pregnant woman is weighed as part of the admission, assessing the weight gain or weight loss, measuring the height of the uterine fundus, and also examining her arms and legs for edema in order to identify possible late toxicosis in time.
If the doctor has doubts about the condition of the fetus, if the pregnancy proceeded with some complications, the woman at this appointment, which may become extreme in this pregnancy, is given a cardiotocogram - CTG to assess the baby's heartbeat and motor activity.
Ultrasound and USDG are prescribed according to indications. Also, the doctor can conduct a gynecological examination on a chair to assess the condition of the cervix, its readiness for childbirth, and the likely opening.
Mandatory at 39 obstetric week is a urine test, as well as a blood clotting test - a coagulogram, if it has not been done a week earlier.
Coagulation factors should definitely be investigated in order to choose the correct labor tactics, excluding the occurrence of extensive bleeding.
Recommendations
Nutrition
It is not recommended for women this week to drink a lot of milk, eat cottage cheese and take calcium supplements. An excess of this mineral will lead to rapid hardening of the fetal skull bones, which will negatively affect the birth process and complicate them.
To slightly reduce the negative manifestations of the gastrointestinal tract, during this period, you should avoid meat and fish dishes, pastries, sweets. It is best to eat cereals, salads, fresh and stewed vegetables and fruits in small portions 5-6 times a day. Such food will be absorbed and digested faster.
Walking
It is possible and necessary for pregnant women to walk regardless of the gestational age. The only thing to worry about at week 39 when heading out on the boardwalk is staying close to home, lest the childbirth be caught off guard in a distant foreign area.
You should always have a charged mobile phone and documents with youthat are needed for the maternity hospital in case the woman is sent there by ambulance right from the walk - this is a passport, a medical policy, an exchange card with all the tests and a birth certificate.
Mood
The child perfectly feels everything that the mother feels, therefore, despite the excitement and anxiety, fatigue and constant expectation, a woman needs to calm down and pull herself together. By the time of childbirth, both - both mother and baby - should be rested, full of strength and energy, because both have to work hard.
If there is a need for sedatives, it is worth discussing the possibility of taking a specific drug with your doctor. Usually, herbal medicines with mild sedation are allowed in the later stages.
Things to the hospital
If the bag has not yet been assembled, it must be done this week. They take clothes for mom and baby, hygiene supplies, diapers for the baby and special disposable pants for women in labor, disposable diapers, a cup and spoon, a charger for a mobile phone with them to the maternity hospital. If you need something else, relatives or friends can bring it to the obstetric institution.
Diseases and medicines
The expectant mother needs to be especially vigilant - now more than ever there is a high probability of contracting a seasonal viral infection and catching a cold. If this happens, you don't need to be upset - most medications are already approved in the third trimester, but they will have to give birth in the infectious ward of the maternity hospital. Although this is not particularly scary.
See what happens at 39 weeks of gestation in the next video.
