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In the fortieth week of pregnancy, a woman can expect to give birth any day now. Very soon, the sensations that the pregnant woman has experienced during the whole period of fetal formation and growth will change. A woman, especially one who is giving birth for the first time, listens very carefully to her sensations. A woman who is not giving birth for the first time is usually already armed with knowledge and experience, so the adaptation of such women is faster and easier.
If in the fortieth week of pregnancy a woman does not experience precursors of labor or contractions, she usually has and develops anxiety. If this happens, it is necessary to consult a specialist.
In the fortieth week, the fetus is almost ready for life outside the womb. All the organs and systems of the future child are formed. A woman may notice that during this period the future child began to move little. This is due to the fact that the fetus has grown up and its motor activity is limited by the uterine cavity, inside which it becomes cramped. In the event that the future child in the fortieth week becomes more active, you should think about possible fetal hypoxia, in connection with which it is necessary to urgently consult a doctor.
About the readiness of the fetus to be born during the fortieth week, a woman can learn about the precursors of labor, when the birth canal of the future mother is preparing for the passage of the fetus, and the beginning of labor is signaled by a changing hormonal background.
The precursors to the onset of labor are usually the same for first-time and repeat births. It’s just that with a second birth, the woman may remember her feelings from the first birth and adapt more quickly.
The abdomen of the expectant mother during this period is sharply lowered, with the head of the fetus entering the entrance of the small pelvis. Lumbosacral painful sensations may appear.
The uterus can put pressure on the stomach, causing unpleasant sensations from the digestive tract. Nausea and heartburn appear.
Urination becomes more frequent, swelling decreases, so a woman in this period can lose weight by one or two kilograms.
The mucous plug comes off, the main purpose of which is to protect the future child from external infections.
If labor does not start in the fortieth week, you should not panic and try to induce it artificially without consulting specialists. Maybe the calculations were wrong. Moreover, labor one two weeks later is not a big deal, as it does not affect the health of the baby and the future mother.