Preparing to become a mother, women are interested in the question of what to do when their lower back hurts at 40 weeks of pregnancy. At the end of the journey of bearing a baby, every spasm and attack of pain is perceived especially acutely and raises a lot of doubts. Let's figure out what happens to the mother and baby's body during this period, what reasons cause discomfort, and how to cope with them yourself.
Each period of gestation has its own characteristics. The child develops in stages, and the mother’s body gradually prepares for motherhood. A pregnancy that has reached 40 weeks is considered full-term. By this time, both the mother’s body and the child himself are ready.
After months of waiting, the female body is ready for the birth of a new life. The size of the uterus reaches its maximum; it rises to a height of 35-40 cm from its normal position. The cervix shortens and its structure becomes soft so that the baby is not injured during childbirth.
If the cervix is not ready by the fortieth week, the doctor prescribes certain medications. The weight and volume of the expectant mother stop growing. Some women in last weeks
weight loss during pregnancy. The skin on the abdomen is very stretched, so stretch marks and itching may appear. To increase elasticity skin recommended to use special means
care products: creams, lotions, oils. 40 weeks of pregnancy are characterized by the appearance of anxiety, fear and excitement for a woman before the upcoming birth. Try to relax: walk more, do some pleasant shopping and think about good things.
At the same time, be attentive to yourself, listen to the signs that your body sends; at this stage, labor can begin at any time.
The birth of a child can develop according to several scenarios, or may indicate the beginning.
Fetal development at 40 weeks
All systems of the baby's body are ready for birth. Vital organs are formed, the baby becomes active and constantly disturbs the mother’s peace with jerks. When struck, you can easily distinguish parts of the baby’s body; tiny palms, elbows and knees are clearly visible through the tightly stretched skin. Today, it is not uncommon to see heroes weighing up to 5 kg and miniature princesses weighing just over 2 kg. Moreover, such children receive fairly high scores on the Apgar scale.
The child may be in the head and breech. In the first case, the baby's head is felt several fingers above the pubis, and the strongest blows are felt in the area of the bladder. In the second case, the mother’s belly has a more elongated shape, and the shocks occur in the woman’s stomach area. Depending on the presentation, doctors decide on the method of delivery.
At 40 weeks, the baby no longer has enough space and nutrients from the mother’s body for active growth and development, so he is ready to be born.
Causes of nagging pain
Pain in the lower back and lower abdomen - common reason visits of women in the fortieth week of pregnancy to the emergency room of maternity wards.
Let's figure out what can cause discomfort at 40 weeks:
- Load on the spine. A month before giving birth, it doubles, because the baby’s weight is growing rapidly. To maintain balance, pregnant women lean back, thereby increasing the load on the lumbar region;
- Divergence of the pelvic bones. To ensure the baby’s smooth passage through the birth canal, the body produces a hormone that softens the bones of the pelvis and pubic symphysis. The child’s head begins to droop and put pressure on the sacral area, causing discomfort in the lower back;
- Placental abruption. If nagging pain in the lumbar region is accompanied by bloody discharge and uterine tone, you should immediately go to the hospital. Such signs are characteristic of the process of placental abruption. Timely medical care will save the life and health of mother and child;
- False contractions. This type of contraction trains the body for the upcoming birth. To determine whether contractions are false or not, it is enough to detect the intervals. During real labor, contractions begin at equal time intervals with increasing force;
- The beginning of the birth process. If spasms in the lower back are accompanied by the release of the mucus plug, leakage of amniotic fluid and pain in the lower abdomen (contractions) at regular intervals, most likely your baby is ready to be born and is letting you know about it.
In any case, you should not ignore discomfort in the lower back and lower abdomen. If lower back pain is accompanied by a change in the child’s movement pattern: he freezes for a long time or, conversely, is hyperactive, you should immediately consult a doctor. On average, you should feel at least one noticeable fetal movement within an hour.
To diagnose the condition of the mother and child, CTG is performed. The device measures the baby's heartbeat and the frequency of contractions of the mother's uterus.
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Braxton-Higgs contractions
The type of contractions that prepare the uterus for imminent birth. Characterized by unpleasant sensations in the lower back and lower abdomen. Indicates that the birth of a baby will occur in the near future.
Training contractions differ from ordinary ones in that the intervals between them are different or absent altogether, and the strength does not change over time.
To this day, doctors disagree about the origin of Braxton-Higgs contractions. They agreed on only one thing, so the body is preparing for the upcoming birth.
Taking a couple of antispasmodic tablets or a papaverine vaginal suppository will help you cope with unpleasant sensations. Take a warm shower, and then try to relax and fall asleep. If the contractions are really false, you will succeed without difficulty. Otherwise, take the things and documents prepared in advance and go to the emergency room of the maternity ward.
Other causes of lower back pain
72% of women experience lower back strain at 40 weeks of pregnancy. This is basically how the harbingers of childbirth appear. However, the causes of lower back pain can be serious chronic diseases:
- Neuralgia. Diseases of the lumbar spine, such as radiculitis and hernia, worsen during pregnancy. It is recommended to wear a bandage from the first weeks of pregnancy;
- Kidney diseases. Pyelonephritis and renal colic are common among women carrying a baby. If a nagging pain in the lower back appears along with pain when urinating, an increase in body temperature and blood pressure, a change in the color of urine, you should immediately consult a specialist;
- Symphysitis. A disease associated with the discrepancy of the bones of the pubis. Accompanied by tissue swelling and pain in the pubic area.
The 40th week of pregnancy is the time that doctors consider optimal for the baby to finally be born. True, statistics say that birth takes place exactly on time only in 4% of cases. In most cases, the baby bump will need to be treated for another 1 – 3 weeks.
The 40th week of pregnancy is a time when you need to take special care of yourself, you are forbidden to be nervous and react emotionally to others who, as if by magic, are asking when they will see your child. Be calm and don't get angry.
40th week of pregnancy: Feelings
At 40 weeks of pregnancy future mom Already feeling very tired from both pregnancy and a big belly. She wants to give birth more and more, but there is no need to rush things - nature itself has decided everything and knows perfectly well when the time is.
You shouldn’t really hope that you will give birth on exactly the date that the doctor prescribed - it is always preliminary - that’s what it’s called. It is extremely difficult to calculate exactly when ovulation occurred. A baby can be born at 37 or 42 weeks. And at 40, you just need to wait and control your feelings.
The 40th week of pregnancy gives the following sensations:
- the tummy has already dropped a little, so it has become easier to breathe, but the pressure on the intestines, liver and kidneys has become somewhat greater;
- the pelvic ligaments are preparing for childbirth - they become softer, so the gait changes somewhat, resulting in an increased risk of injury and falling;
- mood swings begin again, irritability and suspiciousness are even possible, many develop the so-called “nesting instinct”: women try to spend more time in a secluded place or create one themselves, clean the apartment - they may even start renovations;
- often at 40 weeks of pregnancy pain appears in the abdomen, lower back, neck and back;
- sometimes it can start - you can get rid of it by eating small portions;
- Diarrhea can also become a frequent occurrence - thus, the body prepares for the birth of a baby, that is, it gets rid of everything unnecessary;
- often expectant mothers complain about - they may resemble a slight cramp in the tummy, but sometimes they can be painful;
- The expectant mother's breasts are ready for feeding: they are enlarged and may even ache.
When should you go to the maternity hospital?
As a rule, maternity hospitals are not designed for a woman in labor to stay there for a long time, so you shouldn’t go too early - they will still send you home or put you in a free ward so that the woman in labor can wait there for the birth of the baby. But if you leave too late, you can risk giving birth along the way.
Men and relatives should be a support for the women dear to them, so it is important that they monitor what is happening with the mother and her body during the 40 weeks of pregnancy in order to correctly respond to this or that situation.
If the pregnancy is proceeding normally, then modern doctors usually recommend it when contractions become regular and the intervals between their occurrence are less than 10 minutes.
This is determined using an online counter or stopwatch. It is also necessary to take into account the time it takes to travel to a medical facility. If the journey takes more than half an hour, you need to leave in advance.
Sometimes pain during contractions is localized not in the abdomen, but in the back, so regular lower back pain can also be a symptom of a trip to the maternity hospital.
If you moved away amniotic fluid, this is definitely the reason for an immediate trip to the maternity hospital. Even a small leak is a symptom of immediate hospitalization.
There are also threatening symptoms at 40 weeks, when they appear you need to go to the hospital immediately. If possible, you should also move as little as possible and call as soon as possible ambulance:
- the appearance of blood from the genital tract;
- severe abdominal pain that does not go away;
- increased blood pressure;
- a sharp decrease and increase in the intensity of the baby’s movements.
Physiological changes
At the 40th week, there are only a few days or literally a couple of weeks left before giving birth, so all the changes in the mother’s body are associated with this significant day. Childbirth can begin at any moment - and mothers are very nervous and worried. But you shouldn’t be nervous - this has a negative impact on the health of mother and baby.
Hormonal changes once again occur in the body of the expectant mother. Relaxin softens muscles and joints, pelvic ligaments stretch. Because of this, many women feel like their bones are literally falling apart when they walk. The production of estrogen increases significantly.
40 weeks of pregnancy what happens to the baby: he is already ready for birth, the uterus is cramped and dark for him, and this causes stress. If stress enters the mother’s bloodstream, it triggers her production of vasopressin and oxytocin. Because of this, the tone of the arterial vessels increases - the blood supply to the uterus improves, and its contractions intensify.
Also, under the influence of hormones, the blood thins, its volume and circulation speed also increase. Due to the active flow of blood into the mammary glands, and is also actively produced. The most important thing is that these hormones also affect the brain of the expectant mother: the birth dominant is already triggered in it.
The baby is already completely ready to come into this world. Its development continues, but the baby is already becoming independent and may well develop even outside the mother’s womb. At the 40th week, the baby becomes very cramped and experiences obvious discomfort.
Because of this, he moves less often. But under the influence of stress, the baby already produces adrenaline and norepinephrine in large quantities - it is these hormones that trigger the birth process in the mother’s body, and it becomes easier for the baby to endure the further process of passing through the birth canal.
The size of the abdomen at the 40th week of pregnancy becomes large; the size of the baby at this stage depends on individual characteristics baby, genetic characteristics, mother’s health and lifestyle. Usually by this time the baby’s height is already about 50 centimeters with a weight of 2.8 to 4 kg - this is practically how the baby will be born.
A woman’s body is actively preparing for childbirth. The weight of the expectant mother may decrease slightly, and her tummy may drop. During the examination, the doctor may also notice a shortening of the uterus and its softening, and the breasts become engorged because they are already preparing to feed the baby.
Examinations at the 40th week of pregnancy
At the 40th week, any examinations are rarely prescribed or. If you plan to visit a gynecologist, you will need general results. The doctor will also measure abdominal volume, weight and arterial blood pressure. CTG is also prescribed to check the baby's heartbeat.
The height of the uterine fundus at the 40th week is about 32 - 34 centimeters. The baby is sinking lower and lower - the long-awaited moment of birth is just around the corner. It is extremely rare to prescribe an ultrasound at 40 weeks of pregnancy - usually only for special indications. The mother has a third degree of maturity of the placenta - its thickness already reaches 33 - 34 cm.
Since ultrasound is rarely used at 40 weeks, the baby’s heartbeat is examined using special heartbeat sensors.
What factors influence the baby?
A baby at 40 weeks is already fully formed, however, he still receives all his nutrients from his mother, so his condition is influenced by absolutely everything that happens to his mother. Excessive or insufficient nutrition of the mother causes weight problems in the baby. Also, blows and injuries from the mother can cause injury to the baby, so you need to be extremely careful. Moreover, during this period the expectant mother’s body is highly susceptible to injury.
The use of alcohol and drugs is absolutely prohibited. Nicotine leads to vasospasm, and this leads to oxygen starvation in the baby.
The placenta is already significantly aging, so it cannot do its job well - blood purification is worse, as is the supply to the fetus.
Mommy should also remember that self-medication is prohibited at any stage of pregnancy - you should not take risks by taking medications at your own discretion: only after consulting a doctor.
What complications during pregnancy can there be?
The 40th week of pregnancy threatens not so much pregnancy complications as complications during childbirth. At this time, it is very important not to become the cause of these same complications. It is better to take advantage of childbirth preparation courses for expectant mothers - there are quite a lot of them today. In such courses you can get an idea of what will happen during childbirth, how to behave correctly for both mom and dad.
You need to be very careful about the newfangled trend in the form of home birth. Any newfangled trends in the form of exotic childbirth can also be dangerous. If you are unable to provide yourself with quality medical care during childbirth, then you should choose the most best option, but under no circumstances should you take risks. Quality care during childbirth is simply extremely important for a baby.
There is also the question of the adequacy of the actions of medical personnel. Many maternity hospitals still practice induction of labor after the 40th week. This is already the last century, since the modern classification implies that childbirth at 37 full weeks or 42 is absolutely normal.
If CTG data show that the baby feels well, the water does not break and nothing bothers the mother, then there is no need to resort to any actions that accelerate labor.
Possible allocations
At the 40th week, the cervix shortens significantly and becomes much softer, so the discharge may change. It is quite normal if their number has increased slightly. Also, before childbirth, the mucous plug usually comes off, which closes the entrance to the uterus.
This means that they may become thicker, contain lumps of mucus and even streaks of blood. It may also come off in several pieces that have the consistency of jelly.
You should definitely make sure that during the discharge there is no unpleasant odor or impurities of pus. In principle, this extremely rarely happens if the expectant mother visited the doctor on time during pregnancy and followed all the doctor’s recommendations. However, the process is worth watching.
As the due date approaches, the doctor will definitely do a smear to examine the vaginal microflora. If pathogenic microorganisms are detected, treatment will be prescribed to sanitize the birth canal.
If suddenly something was missed, and the infection was discovered before the birth, then the expectant mother is necessarily hospitalized in the pathology department, where a more thorough diagnosis is carried out and a decision is made that surgical delivery is necessary so that the baby is not infected.
They are dangerous at any time. If they appear, you need to immediately go to the hospital, but you should not do it with your own feet - you need to call an ambulance. Excessive activity will only worsen the situation, especially when it comes to placental abruption.
If there are abundant transparent discharge, this also suggests that you need to immediately go to the maternity hospital. This means that the waters have broken and the time has come for the baby to be born. If there is little such discharge and you are not sure whether it is water, you can do a test for amniotic fluid.
The main advice to all expectant mothers at the 40th week is this: be as nervous as possible, get plenty of rest and under no circumstances listen to horror stories about childbirth. Of course, everything in your head has long been prepared for the trip to the maternity hospital, so you should relax and expect the baby to appear soon.
Recommendations for nutrition remain the same: do not starve or overeat, no need to experiment. Fractional meals are the best option, and it is better to choose foods only those that are easily digestible.
There is no need to refuse under any circumstances from fish, meat, eggs, as newfangled “experts” like to advise. You can limit food only immediately before childbirth - when the uterus opens, nausea may simply occur. But you can't go hungry either. You can eat something light, high-calorie and small: a bun, marmalade.
If the doctor previously recommended taking vitamin D, calcium or any other multivitamin preparation, then you need to take it until the birth and even after it - in recovery mode. Later you can change the data to vitamins for nursing mothers.
If there are no contraindications, and the pregnancy is proceeding normally, and the mother feels normal, then you can continue at the 40th week intimate relationships. Moreover, after giving birth the ban will not last long.
In the later stages, intimate relationships have significant positive aspects:
- contractions are stimulated with the help of orgasm;
- the cervix softens due to prostigandins contained in sperm.
When, then intimate life It is better to stop or use condoms, as infection is possible.
A few words about physical activity
It's time to stop intense physical activity. The expectant mother may not even be able to special exercises for pregnant women - do not overexert yourself. The best exercise will be leisurely and short walks on fresh air. It is also worth continuing Kegel exercises. This method of exercise will help strengthen the pelvic floor, and will also significantly speed up the regeneration of the body immediately after childbirth.
Sometimes “experienced” girlfriends can give instructions, in order to supposedly speed up the approach of childbirth, it is necessary to climb more stairs, wash the floor more often or hang curtains. Of course, these actions can speed up delivery, but how will they affect the health of mother and baby? So it’s definitely not worth experimenting, don’t be fooled by any inducements.
Any medications, as with all other periods, should be taken exclusively on the recommendation of a doctor and only under his close supervision. There is very little time left before the birth - at this time you need to try not to harm the baby, because the closer to his birth, the more sensitive he becomes.
At the 40th week, the expectant mother may experience discomfort from all sorts of painful sensations, which, of course, is not new for her, because this path has already been passed. The weight increases, the center of gravity changes again, and pain in the legs appears.
Pain also appears in the sacral area, as well as in the lower abdomen, all this due to the prolapse of the abdomen, which is already becoming very heavy. The breasts also become heavier - they fill out significantly and increase by several sizes. This also causes unpleasant, irritating pain.
Finally, at 40 weeks, diarrhea may appear. This is associated with preparing the body for childbirth - the body is cleansed of everything unnecessary.
Results:
So, the 40th week of pregnancy may be the last in anticipation of the baby - he may well appear this week. The body becomes even more sensitive, and changes in it continue. All of them are aimed at preparing for childbirth. Due to this, a woman becomes more sensitive both emotionally and physically.
The risk of injury increases significantly, so extreme caution must be used. Moreover, the body changes rapidly - sometimes it may even seem too rapid and the woman simply does not have time to adapt. So again, be careful!
Even if the expectant mother leads active image life, at the 40th week it is worth significantly reducing your activity. Of course, if the mother has been involved in sports before and her muscles are significantly prepared, it will be much easier for her to survive the 40th week and the changes in the body. But also in in this case you need to be extremely careful: any extra and usual load before pregnancy can be harmful to the baby.
It is very important to carefully monitor yourself, but not to give in to panic or the advice of others: only your own feelings and the doctor’s recommendations. There is no need to self-medicate, much less take medications on your own. In general, taking medications during pregnancy is a big issue that should be discussed with your doctor.
You shouldn’t overeat or starve, and it’s even better not to listen to the advice of “experienced” friends, who usually quite often recommend very dubious things. It also sometimes happens that a recommendation was suitable for a friend, but not suitable for another woman. It is better to coordinate all recommendations with your doctor.
The 40th week is a period of relative calm, when you need to take care of yourself, your strength, listen to your body, get plenty of rest and have an exclusively dosed load. In case of discomfort, be sure to consult a doctor. Today it is quite convenient to contact everyone using mobile phone, so you can solve many questions in conversation mode, so as not to overwork yourself again.
According to all forecasts, week 40 becomes the final stage of the nine-month formation and development of the baby in the mother’s tummy. However, as practice shows, only in minimal cases - up to 4% - does birth occur at 40 weeks: usually the baby appears either a few weeks earlier or later than the scheduled date. As a rule, this happens not due to any abnormalities, but for a very harmless reason - the pregnancy period was not quite correctly calculated.
And yet, in an amicable way, childbirth at 40 weeks of pregnancy is the norm. And they occur according to a well-known pattern, in three stages: the period of dilation of the cervix (contractions), the period of expulsion of the child (pushing) and the final period of the birth of the placenta (placenta, umbilical cord, membranes).
Childbirth can last from 8-11 hours (if a woman gives birth again) and up to 12-18 hours (in the case of the birth of her first child). In any case, the obstetrician-gynecologist controls the birth process, which is especially important during the period of pushing - the passage of the baby through the birth canal. After the baby is born and his first cry, the baby is usually placed mother's breast- it is believed that this is an extremely important step, a useful procedure for both the baby and the mother.
In the very near future, after birth, the baby will be provided with the first hygienic procedures in his life: he will be cleaned and wiped of mucus, after which he will be dressed, assessed on the Apgar scale (an international system for assessing the vitality of an infant), and a tag will be attached to his clothes indicating the mother’s last name, medical card number, date and time of birth. The tag also indicates the baby’s gender, weight and size.
Fetus at 40 weeks gestation
The baby is more ready than ever to meet the outside world. The fetus at 40 weeks of gestation is mature and perfect. Its height is about 53-54 cm, weight reaches 3.5 kg, and sometimes much more. All his organs and systems are functioning at full strength, the baby is ready to take his first breath and publicly announce his appearance with his first cry. The fetus at the 40th week of pregnancy usually takes the position from which it will be born - the baby is curled up with its head down, bending its legs at the knees and pressing them to the body. His journey is about to begin new world, a meeting with mommy is about to take place.
Harbingers of childbirth
The fact that the baby can no longer wait to begin moving along the birth canal will be indicated by the harbingers of childbirth. Some of them may report the approach of the treasured hour several days in advance - for example, sudden intestinal upset, frequent urge to empty it, and at the same time, frequent urination; change in the psycho-emotional background of the mother with sudden changes in mood. The drooping of the abdomen, which is explained by the lowering of the baby in the uterus and pressing the head against the pelvic floor in order to prepare for childbirth, may be accompanied by painful sensations in the sacrum, spasms in the groin area, and discomfort in the pelvic area. All of these are also harbingers of childbirth, which indicate a high probability of the imminent onset of labor.
The fact that childbirth will occur in almost a few hours is indicated by the rupture of amniotic fluid and the release of the mucous plug. And all this against the backdrop of contractions that are becoming more and more frequent. False contractions can be distinguished from real ones by listening to their intensity and the sensations that accompany them. Thus, prenatal contractions are usually characterized by frequency, greater pain, duration, and do not go away if the woman changes position or begins to move around the room.
The plug has come off
A mother can also be sure that childbirth is “on the threshold” if the plug comes out at 40 weeks of pregnancy. The mucus plug, which until recently covered the cervix and protected the baby from unwanted infections and external influences, comes out in the form of either numerous mucous pinkish or bloody discharge, or in the form of one large lump of mucus, slightly stained with blood. After the plug comes out at 40 weeks of pregnancy, labor can begin in a matter of hours, so the woman needs to be prepared for the onset of contractions and get ready to be sent to the maternity hospital at any time.
Weight at 40 weeks of pregnancy
Some weight loss will also indicate an imminent birth. Normally, by the end of pregnancy, a woman can gain up to 15-16 kilograms “on top” of her initial weight. But, interestingly, the weight at 40 weeks of pregnancy may be less or remain within a week, for example, 38. By the way, weight loss, sometimes even significant - from 0.5 to 2 kg - occurs due to the removal of excess fluid from the body. So, if during pregnancy the hormone progesterone occupies a predominant position in the pregnant woman’s body, which promotes fluid retention in the body, then from the 38th week estrogens actively begin to accumulate, and they already remove fluid from the body.
Stomach
But weight loss, as one of the precursors of childbirth, does not at all affect the size of the mother’s belly. So, the belly at 40 weeks of pregnancy is not just big - its huge size prevents a woman from walking, makes her clumsy and clumsy, overweight. When going to bed, mom has difficulty finding a comfortable place to sleep, which worsens the situation and the feeling that her stomach itches. Special moisturizing creams for pregnant women against stretch marks still help to somewhat correct the situation, which should still be used regularly.
Feel
At the 40th week of pregnancy, the sensations from fetal movements remain obvious: the mother can fully feel how the baby moves and pushes in the tummy. True, now his activity is very limited - the baby is already big and the uterus is cramped for him, so he can only move his arms and legs.
It is necessary to continue to listen carefully to the pushes “from within”. Even the slightest suspicion of a decrease motor activity fetus becomes a reason to immediately consult a doctor. The same as excessive activity: if the baby moves frequently and vigorously, one may suspect a lack of oxygen, and a decision on the need to induce labor.
Pain
Pain at 40 weeks of pregnancy is often interpreted as normal: say, characteristic of late dates pregnancy pain in the lower back, back. This is a consequence of stretching the ligaments and joints in order to prepare the woman’s body for childbirth.
Lower back pain can go hand in hand with abdominal pain, and pain at 40 weeks of pregnancy is usually similar to the feeling that the stomach is hardening and pulling. As a rule, such pain is associated with increased tone of the uterus and prolapse of the abdomen.
Pain at the 40th week of pregnancy can occur in the perineum, in the pelvic area - they are explained by the lowering of the baby in the uterus and increased pressure from its head on the pelvic floor. In turn, pain in the back of the thigh and in the sacrum may indicate compression of the femoral nerve by the uterus, which runs very close to it.
It is imperative that you notify your pregnancy doctor about pain that occurs during the 40th week of pregnancy. After all, such sensations can be either ordinary, characteristic of the final stage of pregnancy, or act as a harbinger of childbirth.
Discharge
Typically, discharge at 40 weeks of pregnancy already has a mucous consistency - the cervix is softened and slightly open, which facilitates the separation of the mucus plug. In this case, the plug may come out gradually - then slightly pinkish or whitish mucus is released from the vagina. Or the plug may separate all at once - in the form of a lump of mucus interspersed with blood.
Discharge that becomes dangerous at the 40th week of pregnancy is purulent, greenish, curdled, with unpleasant smell. Such discharge indicates the addition of an infection and requires immediate treatment: the baby is about to be born, and if the infection still exists when it passes through the genital tract, the risk of its transmission to the baby is enormous.
Also pose a certain danger bloody issues at 40 weeks of pregnancy. Their appearance is most likely associated with abruption of a normally located placenta. Even if blood is released from the vagina in minimal quantities and is not accompanied by abdominal pain, you should not hesitate under any circumstances: severe bleeding can begin at any second.
Thin, watery and copious discharge indicates rupture of amniotic fluid. If this happens, you should go to the maternity hospital as soon as possible. Even if there are no contractions and childbirth has not yet made itself felt, the baby cannot remain in a waterless environment for a long time - at least, this is fraught with infection.
Sex at 40 weeks pregnant
In the absence of contraindications, doctors allow sex to be practiced until the end of pregnancy. Moreover, in some cases, sex at 40 weeks of pregnancy is even recommended - as a soft and natural way to prepare for childbirth. Thus, the hormone prostaglandin, which is present in sperm, softens the cervix, and the orgasm experienced by a woman stimulates the onset of contractions.
However, practicing sex at 40 weeks of pregnancy to stimulate labor should only be done with the permission of a doctor: contractions caused by intimate caresses can be unexpectedly strong and prolonged, and this is undesirable for the baby.
At the 40th week of pregnancy, most expectant mothers regularly experience a hard stomach and signs of labor appear. The moment of the onset of labor can start from minute to minute.
And although many already babysit their children, you can’t go against nature. It also happens that a woman can calmly pass this week and wait further, but giving birth later than 41 weeks is undesirable - the baby will be born post-term.
The 40th week of pregnancy is the period of preparation for childbirth and the woman’s body is ready to take action at any moment. Hormonal levels increase.
The so-called “mother hen syndrome” appears. A woman wants to decorate her home, arrange a nursery, and so on. She seems to be full of strength and energy.
Stomach
The abdomen at the 40th week of pregnancy often becomes stiff and, most likely, has already dropped, the presenting part of the fetus is pressed against the entrance to the pelvis. At the moment of insertion of the head or buttocks, the amniotic sac ruptures and the anterior waters break. This moment or the moment of the beginning of regular contractions can be considered the start of labor.
Fetus at 40 weeks gestation
A fetus at 40 weeks of gestation moves only its arms and legs. He can no longer turn around, since there is practically no space left in the uterus. The sense organs as well as the nervous system continue to develop.
The mother secretes a large amount of estrogen, so the baby develops slight swelling of the breasts. After the birth everything will be restored. The hematopoietic organs began to work independently, so the child’s blood supply is completely independent of the mother. But antibodies still only come through the placenta.
In anticipation of the upcoming birth at 40 obstetric week The baby’s body began to produce norepinephrine and adrenaline in large doses. These hormones will help him be born without pain.
Feel
It seems to my mother that she can no longer bear the weight of her stomach. But when it goes down, it becomes easier for her to breathe.
A woman at 40 weeks of pregnancy experiences mood swings. She becomes irritable and concentrates on every little thing. Mom, waiting for a miracle, understands perfectly well that it can come at any moment. And if mothers at the 40th week of their second pregnancy know how everything happens, then the anxieties of first-time mothers are doubled.
Harbingers of childbirth
The body continues to prepare for childbirth:
- muscles become more elastic;
- joints are already more mobile;
- The pelvic ligaments are stretched.
It seems to many that the bones creak and move apart when walking. different sides. False contractions are intensifying. If previously they were mild, now this unpleasant feeling is accompanied by nagging pain in the lumbar region, and the stomach becomes tense. All these are so-called precursors of childbirth at 40 weeks of pregnancy.
Women experiencing the 40th week of their second pregnancy can already distinguish them from real ones, and first-time mothers, as a rule, are very worried and come to the maternity hospital in advance.
At this time, a woman usually has pain in everything: back, neck, lower back, stomach. There's no escaping this. The body is being rebuilt. Nausea and heartburn may appear at 40 weeks of pregnancy. They are dealt with by eating often, but in small portions. The uterus has grown significantly and begins to put pressure on all organs, which causes constipation at 40 weeks of pregnancy.
Discharge
A woman may notice yellow or white vaginal discharge at 40 weeks of pregnancy. This normal phenomenon. The main thing is to pay attention so that there is no itching or discomfort.
The brown-red color of the discharge and mucous contents should alert the pregnant woman. There is no guarantee that she will give birth within a few minutes, but you should go to the hospital immediately.
There may also be a clear, odorless discharge that can be confused with urine. No, no longer incontinence. This is a real leakage of amniotic fluid. If this happens, your place is in the hospital, especially if the liquid has an odor or is green.
Weight
At 40 weeks of pregnancy, the baby continues to grow and gain weight, which cannot be said about the mother. A woman’s weight at 40 weeks of pregnancy, on the contrary, decreases by a couple of kilograms. The body gets rid of excess fluid before childbirth.
Losing weight is also associated with a lack of appetite. You can’t eat by force, but you need to eat. To avoid problems with digestion, food should be light, but rich in vitamins. Vegetables, fruits and fresh herbs are healthy.
Pain
Pain at 40 weeks of pregnancy is normal. Any housework is a burden for a woman; it is difficult for her to walk, sit and even lie down. But you can’t endure the discomfort for long, because childbirth is just around the corner.
At this stage, the woman has pain in the lower back, stomach, and legs (especially the hips and knees). Joint pain does not go away, the pelvic bones and pubis hurt, there is pressure and distension in the groin. Pinching of the sciatic nerve is not uncommon. The breasts become full, painful, and colostrum is released.
Completely limit physical activity because of pain You can't, you have to move. This will speed up the birthing process.
The main task of a pregnant woman at 40 weeks is to rest more in order to gain strength before giving birth. Surround yourself only with positive emotions and don’t listen to horror stories from your friends who gave birth.
Nutrition
Down with experiments and no strict diets. Let's continue to eat healthy and not overeat. You can treat yourself to something tasty, because very soon a pregnant woman will turn into a mother and all this will be prohibited.
Carbohydrates will help you stock up on energy before giving birth. Only these should be easily digestible carbohydrates: jelly, chocolate and similar products.
If the 40th week of pregnancy falls during the time of watermelons and melons, then their consumption should be limited, as this can provoke a sharp gain in fetal weight.
Vitamins
The body needs vitamins, and most of all vitamin K (dairy products and salad leaves). It increases blood clotting. Let's not forget about the existence of vegetables and fruits.
Sex at 40 weeks pregnant
If the attending physician has not prohibited it, then you should not deny yourself the pleasure. Moreover, after giving birth, there will be a strict ban on intimacy for a long time.
- stimulation of contractions through orgasm;
- softening of the cervix by sperm.
If the mucus plug has already come off, then you need to use a condom.
Physical activity
The best physical activity remains walking, which should be slightly reduced at this time, although it all depends on the well-being of the pregnant woman. Some women, listening to their friends, begin to wash the floors and actively walk up the stairs, hoping to bring the due date closer at 40 weeks.
All this, of course, can provoke labor, but how the child will react to this is unknown. Therefore, you should not experiment.
Medicines and medical procedures
Perhaps the doctor will prescribe medications that can be used to disinfect the birth canal. All drugs are prescribed by physicians only. No self-medication! The life of an unborn child is in the hands of a pregnant woman.
Possible problems
A woman should not leave home for a long time. Moving is prohibited. This is due to the fact that by disturbing the rest of the body, a pregnant woman can provoke the onset of labor. Childbirth at 40 weeks of pregnancy is, of course, not a terrible phenomenon, but only if the woman can be quickly hospitalized.
But diarrhea at 40 weeks is not a problem, but the body’s real preparation for childbirth. The intestines begin to empty themselves spontaneously to make it easier for the baby to come out.
Every woman should remember the points that require urgent call doctor at home:
- blood pressure has risen;
- blurred vision appeared;
- large swelling appeared (hands, face);
- Strong headache;
- loss of consciousness;
- the temperature has risen.
Examination at 40 weeks
The procedures remain standard:
- blood pressure measurement;
- weighing;
- measuring the height of the uterine fundus;
- determination of fetal heartbeats;
- Analysis of urine;
- dopplerography (as prescribed by a doctor);
- CTG (depending on the situation).
An ultrasound at 40 weeks of pregnancy is performed only if the doctor needs to make sure the condition of the child.
Approximate ultrasound diagnostic data:
- LZR – 110–130 mm;
- BPR – 89–103 mm;
- Coolant – 313–381 mm;
- exhaust gas – 312–362 mm;
- shin bones – 62–72 mm;
- femur – 70–80 mm;
- forearm bones – 54–62 mm;
- humerus – 61–71 mm.
The plug has come off
The mucus plug, which covers the cervix and protects the baby from infection, may come off a couple of weeks before birth, but more often it comes out at 40 weeks of pregnancy. It clears the birth canal for the baby so that nothing prevents the baby from being born.
It is after the plug comes out at 40 weeks of pregnancy that intense contractions begin and water may leak. What does a mucus plug look like? This is a thick, light milky mucus streaked or streaked with blood. It looks like a jelly-like clot, about 2 tbsp in volume. l.
Childbirth
The fetus is formed at the 40th week of pregnancy, the baby is ready to be born. Exactly 10 months have passed since your last period, which means it’s time to give birth. If a woman has not given birth before 40 weeks, then most likely the long-awaited meeting with the baby will happen in the next few days.
A sure sign that labor has already begun at 40 weeks of pregnancy is the rupture of amniotic fluid and the appearance of true contractions, which repeat every 5-7 minutes.
Features of IVF pregnancy
Patients who have conceived a child using IVF must be several times attentive to their body, the signals given by the child and the harbingers of labor at 40 weeks of pregnancy.
Most likely, such a pregnant woman, if she has not yet given birth, is under constant medical supervision. And without fail he receives preparatory therapy.
Features of multiple pregnancy
There are mothers who calmly carry their babies to term until the 40th week of pregnancy. At this time, doctors are already monitoring the pregnant woman’s condition, since she has a double load on her body. They are the ones who will determine whether the woman will give birth herself or have a caesarean section.
Video of the fortieth week of pregnancy
By this time, the woman is already tired of her situation, and she can’t wait to give birth as soon as possible. But there is no need to rush things, everything will happen at the moment when the body is completely ready for childbirth. You should not rely on the date of birth previously prescribed by your doctor. In fact, it is very approximate, because it is unrealistic to calculate the exact date of fertilization of the egg. Moreover, not all babies are born on time; some become too cramped in the tummy, and they appear at 37 weeks, and some prefer to wait until 42.
The pressure on the stomach and lower ribs decreased with the lowering of the tummy, but on the kidneys, intestines and bladder, on the contrary, it became stronger. A woman often feels severe pain in her back, legs and lower abdomen this week. Before childbirth, the body is cleansed of “excess ballast”, so vomiting or diarrhea may occur. Some women become irritable or whiny in connection with the upcoming birth. Often the instinct of “nesting” appears: a woman wants to make the home more comfortable for the child, and there is also a desire to sit more often in some secluded corner. The breasts are already completely ready for feeding, they have increased greatly, and sometimes they may ache. For most women, the amount of colostrum released increases. But for some it appears only after childbirth.
Relaxin prepares the pregnant woman's body for the upcoming process of childbirth. Under its influence, muscles and joints soften, and the pelvic ligaments become more elastic. This makes it more difficult to walk. Some women feel that the pelvic bones “spread” when walking. The baby becomes increasingly cramped in the uterus, which causes his body to produce stress hormones. These hormones enter the maternal blood, provoking the production of oxytocin and vasopressin - hormones that provoke uterine contractions. Also, under the influence of these hormones, blood volume increases and its circulation accelerates. An examination by a gynecologist will show that the cervix has shortened and become softer. This provokes the release of the mucous plug covering the uterus. A pregnant woman's breasts become heavier in preparation for feeding the baby, and sometimes they ache.
