The 39th week of pregnancy is one of the last before childbirth, and the expectant mother should already be completely ready for them. A baby is also expected to be born, whose weight by this time is about 3, 2 kg, and his height is 50 cm.
Fetal development at 39 weeks
By the onset of the 38th week, the child is considered fully full-term. Its systems and organs are ripe and fully viable. However, the fetus continues to grow little by little, receiving the necessary nutrients through the placenta and umbilical cord. The lungs are ready to start working, and the first breath will be taken immediately after birth. The stomach is already producing the enzymes necessary for the breakdown of food, and the intestines are about to begin to absorb the food entering the body.
The baby's reflexes are well developed, especially the sucking reflexes, which the baby will need immediately after birth. At the same time, the central nervous system is still unevenly developed, and only the following elements have matured:
- sensitive analyzers;
- spinal cord;
- facial nerve;
- glial tissue.
The baby's gaze can already be focused at a distance of up to 30 cm, which corresponds to the distance to the mother's face during future feeding. We are actively improving the child's brain: he is able to distinguish and memorize three-dimensional objects, colors and all kinds of movements. The length of the hair on his head can reach 4-5 cm, and at the same time, a specific fluff and primordial lubricant have already left the body. Fingernails and toenails have grown. The baby's skin has a pale pink color, indicating the completion of the formation of the subcutaneous fat layer.
By the onset of the 39th week, the child's physical activity is noticeably reduced, but this should not cause cause for concern: there is simply too little room in the stomach for intensive body movements. In addition, the amount of amniotic fluid has decreased. And the baby also accumulates strength to participate in the coming process of childbirth.
Feelings of a future mother
As a rule, women at the 39th week of pregnancy try not to resort to physical activity unnecessarily, psychologically tuned in to childbirth, which may well begin from day to day. In addition to the noticeable heaviness in the abdomen and all the inconveniences it causes, a woman may experience:
- cramping and pulling pain in the lower abdomen due to narrowing of the walls of the uterus;
- pulling pains in the perineum and lumbar spine under fetal pressure;
- lumbago in the pelvic region, arising from sudden movements of the baby;
- heaviness in the legs;
- numbness of the arms and legs, painful swelling of the limbs;
- constipation, in some cases leading to prolapse of hemorrhoids.
The woman's body is actively preparing for the upcoming birth process. The most noticeable changes occur in the uterus, which rises about 40 cm above the pubic joint, and its neck is shortened and softened. Soon the baby will have to go through it without getting injured.
The tissue that connects the pelvic bones softens so that they can spread apart during labor and allow the baby to pass. Sometimes there may be slight tremors in the lower abdomen, indicating that the baby's head is pressed against the exit from the uterus, thereby preparing for birth.
Signs of the onset of labor
It is very important to recognize in time that labor is about to begin. Before the onset of approximately 38th and subsequent weeks of pregnancy, a woman should have already encountered such a phenomenon as training or false contractions ("Braxton Hicks contractions"). They differ from the true urge to give birth by not too painful sensations and occur no more often than several times a day. If contractions begin to occur several times an hour, causing noticeable pain, an ambulance must be called urgently. In addition, the completion of pregnancy is usually indicated by:
- prolapse of the abdomen;
- discharge of water and mucous plug;
- excretion of colostrum;
- weight loss.
It all starts with a gradual lowering of the abdomen down simultaneously with pressing the presenting part of the fetus (head or buttocks) to the entrance to the small pelvis. The woman begins to feel a decrease in pressure on the stomach and lungs. At the same time, weekly weight gain stops, and even begins to roll back in the opposite direction.
Simultaneously with these phenomena, appetite decreases: with active preparation for childbirth, the body does not need extra fluids and nutrients. Also, under pressure from the fetus on the bladder and intestines, the urge to urinate and defecate frequently in a woman can increase dramatically in the prenatal period.
The mammary glands begin to actively produce colostrum - a special secret containing a large amount of protein. The baby will feed on this liquid in the first days of his life. If earlier colostrum could be released only in small volumes when squeezing the breast, now it is able to flow out independently and in large quantities, speaking of the imminent onset of labor.
The most obvious sign that it is time to go to the hospital is the discharge of amniotic fluid. It is a colorless and odorless liquid that flows out of the vagina in a thin stream or in an intense stream. This phenomenon may be accompanied by the discharge of a mucous plug - a substance of white, pinkish or yellow color with red veins, which closes the entrance to the cervix. Usually, the mucous plug goes away 1-2 weeks before or just before childbirth.
Surveys and recommendations
At the moment, all the main examinations must have already been completed. A woman can expect to have a general urine test before delivery. In addition, the obstetrician-gynecologist measures the mother's blood pressure, her body weight, abdominal circumference and the height of the fundus of the uterus. With the help of palpation of the abdomen with the hands, the location of the fetus in the uterus is revealed. A woman may be advised to undergo cardiotocography if the procedure has not been performed for a long time. In the course of it, the fetal heartbeat, the frequency of uterine contractions, the characteristic features of the baby's body movements are measured. When carrying twins or with the coming birth by Caesarean section, an additional ultrasound is prescribed.
It's time to discuss with the doctor the upcoming hospitalization before childbirth. The exact date will be assigned based on the characteristics of the pregnancy. If there are already primary signs of labor onset, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible. Usually, the procedure begins in the next 1-2 days. All that remains is to wait until the cervix is sufficiently dilated, and the obstetricians will be ready to fulfill their professional duty.
