At 39 weeks of pregnancy, the baby’s arrival is imminent. The contractions are more intense and the nights are often short, between impatience and excitement. Anh-Chi-Ton, midwife, sheds light on the highlights of this 41st week of amenorrhea.
In this whole last week of pregnancy, everything is accelerating and you will finally be able to meet your baby! Everything finally becomes concrete. Be attentive to the signs of pregnancy as well as the rhythm of your contractions, without stressing. This 39th week of pregnancy is indeed the last straight line before giving birth. Here is the advice of Anh-Chi Ton, midwife, on this 41st week of amenorrhea.
How many months and SA at 39 weeks of pregnancy?
At 39 weeks of pregnancy, vou are in your ninth month of pregnancy. The 39th week of pregnancy corresponds to 41 weeks of amenorrhea or 41 SA.
What symptoms at 39 weeks of pregnancy?
Fatigue
To the physical fatigue is generally added in the last days a certain nervous exhaustion. You look forward to giving birth, and at the same time, you dread it. Soon your baby will be in your arms. In the meantime, rest as much as possible and save all your energy for the day of the birth.
Lower back pain
Back pain is common at the end of pregnancy. The belly is increasingly heavy and the ligaments of the pelvis are put to the test. Also know that contractions “in the kidneys” exist! If you have some back pain unusual, it could well mean that labor has started.
Menstrual pain in the lower abdomen
At 41 SAwhat you think are period pains can just be contractions. If in doubt, count the interval at which they return on a small notebook. They get closer, become regular, intensify, it’s time to go to the maternity ward. The long-awaited meeting is coming soon.
White discharge
At the very end of pregnancy, pay attention to your vaginal discharge. It can be the mucous plug or just a crack in the bag of waters. If you have any doubts, go to the maternity ward for an examination.
What are the signs of childbirth at 41 SA?
At this stage of pregnancy, you have nothing else to do but wait for labor to start. Your body is now fully prepared. You may have lost the mucous plug, you feel more and more regular contractions… This is the sign that childbirth is approaching. Rest assured: in this 39th week of pregnancyyou will be invited to go to the maternity ward every 48 hours to check that everything is fine.
Contractions and hard stomach
Get ready to go to the maternity ward as soon as your water breaks and/or if your contractions get closer (every 5 minutes or less), and are increasingly intense.
What if the cervix is open?
It’s good news ! This means that the baby is coming into the world, so there is nothing to worry about, it is just the normal course of pregnancy. “At this stage, we simply wait for the woman to go into labor spontaneously. Or else we induce labor“, explains the midwife.
Onset of labor at 41 SA
Have you waited all week and still can’t see anything happening? Generally, the maximum time before a trigger is six days. “The stage differs from hospital to hospital, but generally one starts to induce at 41 WA + 3, at the latest the baby comes into the world at 41 WA + 4. Although it may vary by a day or two , baby must absolutely be born before 41 weeks + 6 days, i.e. 39 weeks + 6 days.”, recalls Anh-Chi Ton.
“Generally, we start triggering at 41 WA + 3, at the latest the baby is born at 41 WA + 4”.
For that, a prostaglandin gel or tablet is introduced into the vagina to dilate the cervix and induce labor. “You can also introduce a balloon that you inflate in the cervix to dilate it manually.”, adds the midwife. If these first methods do not work, the doctor will move on to the next step: oxytocin infusion.
39 weeks pregnant and still nothing?
Your 39th week of pregnancy is over and your baby still hasn’t decided to come out? We then speak of overrun. Don’t panic, this is a fairly common situation. It is safe for you and your baby, as you will both be closely monitored. The maternity team will monitor you and your baby on a more regular basis for the next few days in order to check the baby’s heartbeat, his movements, the sufficient amount and color of amniotic fluid, your blood pressure. She can decide to induce labor within six days of the official due date.
Can we do a final ultrasound at 39 weeks of pregnancy?
An ultrasound can be done at 39 weeks of pregnancy, or 41 weeks of amenorrhea, to check the well-being of the child. “This is called the Manning score, a score that assesses several parameters related to fetal well-being (movements, vitality, amount of amniotic fluid, presentation). This ultrasound will make it possible to determine if we induce labor right away, or if we can afford to wait 48 hours or a little more.explains the midwife.
How is the baby at 39 weeks pregnant?
This week, your baby is officially due. If he still hasn’t shown the tip of his nose, it’s only a matter of days or hours… All its organs are operational and ready to function in the real conditions of the outside world.
What is the position of the baby at 41 weeks of amenorrhea?
He assumed the head down position, ready to exit by natural means, in 95% of cases. If this is not the case for your baby, the maternity team may consider either a breech birthor a caesarean section.
What is the baby’s weight at 41 weeks?
Baby weighs between 3.3 and 3.5 kg and measures on average 50 to 52 cm. All its organs are operational and ready to function in the real conditions of the outside world. He assumed the head down position, ready to exit by natural means, in 95% of cases. If this is not the case for your baby, the maternity team may consider either a breech birthor a caesarean section.
What to do at 39 weeks pregnant?
It’s official : you are at the end of your pregnancy. You don’t have much to do at this point, except be patient! In a few days, even a few hours, you will finally be able to hold your baby in your arms.
Meet at the maternity ward
Once the term of your pregnancy has passed, you will be invited to go to the maternity ward every other day.s to monitor your health and that of your baby. Our advice: do not plan anything else during the coming days, because your baby could arrive at any second. Entrust your other children to their grandparents or trusted people, take care of yourself and be patient. If your baby is really undecided, the medical team will induce your labor within a maximum of six days after exceeding the term.
Thanks to Anh-Chi Ton, midwife