40, 41 and 42 weeks of pregnancy: features, preparation for childbirth

Home / Preparing for childbirth / How the cervix, the most mysterious organ of the female body, prepares for childbirth

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Induction of labor
Self-stimulation of the cervix
Risk of cervical rupture
An obstetrician-gynecologist talks about the opening of the uterine pharynx

The maturity of the cervix before childbirth is determined using a special Bishop scale during examination.

Physiologically, already 4-6 weeks before birth, changes occur in the cervix, it begins to swell, softens and becomes sensitive. Using the Bishop scale, which evaluates five features of the cervix from 0 to 3, you can, upon examination, tell with some confidence whether an early induction of labor will be successful.

If the muscular activity and receptivity of the cervix are coordinated with each other, then the contractile function increases the diameter of the cervical canal to approximately 10 cm at the end of the first stage of labor.

The vagina is considered ready when the dilation of the cervix before childbirth is approximately a finger width and is located on the axis of the birth canal or fetus. When assessing the maturity scale, the doctor takes into account the difference in the width and length of the cervix for the first pregnancy and for those who have given birth repeatedly. Upon examination, the cervix is ready for childbirth if the result is at least 9 points; in other cases, it is considered immature. The maturation of the uterus is a very important factor before childbirth. After the cervix becomes ripe, it can already take part in childbirth. But its stimulation during childbirth is also important.

Fetal development at 40, 41 and 42 weeks

By the 40th week, the fetus reaches the final point of intrauterine development. By this time, its dimensions can range from 45 to 60 cm - height, from 2.5 to 5 kg - weight (in some cases this parameter may be greater). The baby is already very large and takes up all the free space in the uterus. It is quite difficult for him to move actively and almost impossible to roll over. During the 41st and 42nd weeks, weight may increase by 100-150 g, height - by 1-2 cm.

Babies that are upside down in the womb will remain in this position until birth, because the head is the heaviest part of the body, and the baby cannot turn over. In some cases, the belly-dwellers, positioned downwards with their legs or diagonally, if the umbilical cord does not interfere, even at this stage can make a downward revolution. But most often, by this time, women with a longitudinal or leg presentation of the fetus are delivered.

The placenta, which provides nutrition to the baby throughout pregnancy, ages, delivering less nutrients to it. This causes a decrease in weight gain in the last weeks of the term. If previously the baby could gain weight up to 200 g per week, then at the end of pregnancy this figure barely exceeds 100 g.

Some women at this stage may be worried that the scale needle stops moving forward, and in some cases the pregnant woman’s body weight decreases. This occurs due to the physiological preparation of the body for childbirth. The stool becomes looser, more frequent, and vomiting may occur (for no apparent reason). The body of the expectant mother and the baby are actively preparing for the final event of pregnancy - the birth of the child.

The baby is completely ready for life outside of his mother. Its internal and external organs are functioning or in standby mode. The baby's whole body is waiting for day X to become active. At this stage of development, the baby behaves like a newborn: he sleeps a lot of time, periodically waking up, opening his eyes and looking around.

Fetus at 40 weeks of gestation

The most active workers in the baby’s body are:

nervous system. The main command center (brain) reaches a size of 400 g by the 40th week. The main processes of intrauterine development of the nervous system are completed, but improvement does not stop. Every minute, many nerve connections are created that ensure brain development and monitor everything that happens to the baby;
digestive tract. While in the mother's womb, the fetus is actively preparing for the changes that await it. During the day, the baby swallows amniotic fluid, which, entering the stomach, is broken down into sugars, water and other elements. The system directs useful substances “to use”, and removes unnecessary substances from the body with the help of the kidneys or stores them in the intestines;
the cardiovascular system . The heart is the engine of the body, ensuring the timely supply of everything necessary to every cell of the body. At this stage it works quickly, making approximately 150 beats per minute. This is 2 times faster than in an adult, but is necessary for organizing development processes. The heart rate will begin to decrease only after the birth of the fetus, gradually, throughout the entire period of growing up. The usual indicators will be achieved closer to adolescence;
endocrine system consists of the pituitary gland, thyroid, parathyroid, thymus, adrenal glands and pancreas. At this stage of intrauterine development, they are fully mature and, under the guidance of the nervous system, produce the necessary hormones to activate or inhibit processes in the body.

The appearance of the fetus at this stage corresponds to the usual appearance of a newborn baby: a slightly large head, a small, proportional body. The face is fully formed, various emotions are constantly changing on it. The eyes open and close and can distinguish between light and dark. The mouth actively develops the sucking reflex, the baby often sucks his own finger. The cartilage in the ears has hardened; hearing is the most developed sense organ at this stage of development.

The baby remembered his mother’s voice and the beat of her heart well. When the baby is born, these sounds will be the best soothing for the baby in the first months of life. It will be enough to simply pick up an agitated baby and talk to him so that he feels safe.

At the 40th week of pregnancy, everything is ready for childbirth, and as soon as the baby has accumulated enough strength and the woman’s body has completed its preparations, the main event will begin. For some, this will happen before the PDA (preliminary due date), and for others at the 41st or 42nd week. For each woman, the onset of labor may be accompanied by its own special sensations. Most often, it all begins with the appearance of contractions or the discharge of amniotic fluid, but it is possible that the beginning of the process is not typical: pain at a certain point, diarrhea, vomiting, etc. At this stage, you should be very attentive to your feelings and go to the maternity hospital in time .

What does a newborn look like?

Most women giving birth worry about what their baby will be like. Of course, in general, newborn babies do not look very attractive due to certain circumstances. The baby's head is elongated because it takes on this shape during birth to make it easier for the baby to push out. The baby's skin may have an unusual color; it can be red, yellow, or even blue if the baby experienced a lack of oxygen during birth. At birth, the baby's skin is covered with vernix, consisting of white mucus and the mother's blood. In the intestines of a newborn, meconium has formed in the womb - this is the original black feces, which will be released as a result of bowel movements several days after birth. Gradually, the baby's skin is cleared of all unaesthetic features and acquires a natural pink tint.

Often parents with brown eyes and dark hair give birth to blue-eyed and fair-haired babies. This is explained by the fact that there is not yet a sufficient amount of pigment in the child’s body, which gives the iris a brown color. Within a couple of weeks, your baby's eyes will change color.

Changes in the state of the pregnant woman’s body at 40-42 weeks

The fewer days left before the preliminary date of birth (PDD), the more the expectant mother feels the fatigue accumulated over the previous months of bearing the baby. The whole family is waiting for the start of the main event of pregnancy - childbirth.

It is worth remembering that the PDP is the preliminary end date of the 40-week gestation period, calculated from the first day of the last menstruation without taking into account the length of the cycle of a particular woman (if pregnancy did not occur with the help of IVF). Only 4% of women give birth strictly on the set date, and the majority within 2 weeks before or after the designated date.

If the pregnancy proceeds normally: without pathologies, features of the condition of the mother and child that force urgent measures to be taken, then in some cases the woman is allowed to wait for the start of labor outside a medical institution until the 42nd week. If day X does not come within this period, then at 42 weeks the pregnant woman will be invited to the maternity hospital to stimulate the birth process. To do this, they can use medications in the form of droppers, suppositories, or, if the cervix is ready, the amniotic sac is opened.

In some cases, depending on the standards adopted in the maternity hospital and the situation in the region, stimulation of the labor process may begin much earlier: at the 39th, 40th or 41st weeks. In most cases, the pregnant woman is informed in advance of the deadline by which she can independently enter labor.

At 40-42 weeks of pregnancy, most women feel satisfactory, a little excited. Most of the signs of the deadline have become familiar, and some harbingers make the condition easier. The most difficult thing at the last stage of pregnancy is to get used to constant weakness and fatigue, difficulty in moving, but what gives strength is the understanding that very soon an event will happen for which the pregnant woman is experiencing inconvenience.

Belly at 40 weeks of pregnancy

The body of the expectant mother continues to actively prepare for childbirth: the hormonal background has changed, the process of cervical effacement has begun, the body is cleansed of everything unnecessary, the breasts are filled, and drops of colostrum appear from it. Everything indicates the approach of the cherished date.

As before, the woman is bothered by various pain sensations in different parts of the body:

in back. Most often, pain manifests itself after a walk or long sitting in an incorrect position (leaning over, with crossed legs, without support on the back). If the soreness goes away after a little rest or changing body position, then there is nothing to worry about. If pain persists, especially if it is localized in the lower back, it is recommended to contact the maternity hospital for advice. In some cases, persistent back pain is a sign of labor beginning;
in the legs. At this stage of pregnancy, the legs experience a lot of stress, they have to support a lot of weight (mother and baby). As a result, in the evenings you may experience stabbing or aching pain in your lower legs and ankles. Seizures or spider veins are common. The last 2 signs are a reason to consult a gynecologist for advice, because varicose veins quite often appear only in the last weeks of pregnancy;
in a stomach. Unpleasant sensations in the abdomen at 40 weeks can be caused by both the onset of labor and the preparation processes. If pain occurs, the best option is to seek medical advice;
in the chest. Chest pain can manifest itself in different ways. Some women in labor have still not dropped their belly by this time, and discomfort is caused by the pressure of the uterus on the airways. In women with a drooping abdomen, preparation of the breasts for lactation may cause discomfort. The milk ducts continue to increase in it, the circulatory system increases blood flow to the lactation zone, and colostrum is produced. If the sensations are difficult to tolerate, you can contact a gynecologist for advice and additional examination.

At the 40th week of pregnancy, many women encounter so-called “harbingers” of an imminent birth. It should be remembered that they can appear both several days (weeks) before day X, and immediately at the very beginning of labor. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body. In any case, if a woman notices the appearance of signs of imminent labor, she should strengthen control over her feelings.

Harbingers of childbirth

change in the position of the abdomen (prolapse). In some cases, this process occurs 2 weeks before the onset of labor, in others immediately at the onset of labor. As a result, the woman experiences relief: the stomach and lungs straighten out and begin to function normally. But you shouldn’t start eating a lot right away; it is recommended to continue following your diet.

The relief to the stomach and lungs caused by the change in the position of the abdomen leads to increased pressure on the bladder. A pregnant woman literally feels a constant desire to go to the toilet. Training the pelvic floor muscles using Kegel exercises helps reduce discomfort;

frequency of training contractions . All pregnant women note that at the 40th week, training contractions become unpleasant and cause some pain. Quite often, expectant mothers confuse training contractions with real ones and go to the maternity hospital a little ahead of schedule. There is nothing wrong with this; you should not be afraid to seek advice if something is bothering you. We will tell you how to distinguish training contractions from real ones later in this article;
decreased appetite. Another sign uncharacteristic of pregnancy that indicates the approach of labor is lack of appetite. Throughout pregnancy, most women experience an increased desire to eat, but this may disappear completely before giving birth. This is normal. The expectant mother's body is preparing for childbirth and trying to create conditions in which there will be no distractions. To prevent the digestive system from being overloaded, hormones are produced that reduce appetite;
increased bowel movements, diarrhea. These harbingers of labor most often appear just a few days before birth and are also caused by physiological cleansing by the body before the birth process. Softening of the stool can be observed 1-2 weeks before day X, while diarrhea or frequent stools most often appear 1-2 days before. If a woman notices this sign, it is worth double-checking the things necessary for the maternity hospital and keeping them ready;
sharp weight loss up to 2 kg. This harbinger usually summarizes the above signs. Increased urination, softening of the stool, and loss of appetite allow you to remove excess from the body, which is reflected on the scales in the form of weight loss;
changes in the cervix. This harbinger can only be seen by a gynecologist during direct examination. To let life into the world, the cervix must go through 2 important stages: 1st - shorten, up to smoothing, 2nd - open. Usually, in primiparous women, the processes of shortening and dilation occur alternately, and a significant time interval passes between them; in multiparous women, both changes in the cervix often occur simultaneously.

Each woman is individual, the appearance of precursors can occur at different times and in different ways. In some cases, there is a complete absence of all signs of impending labor (except for shortening of the cervix), and this is normal.

At the 40th week of pregnancy, the expectant mother should not look for these signs in herself, but try to tune in to her own body. Most often, women who have not experienced any precursors of labor speak about the onset of labor with uncharacteristic sensations, but with a clear internal understanding that everything has begun.

Childbirth at 40 weeks

The birth of a child at this time is one of the favorable periods for this. The baby is ready to reveal himself to the world and is just looking for the right moment. When away from a medical facility, especially during a first pregnancy, a woman may be afraid of missing the start of this important process. So that you do not worry, we have prepared a memo that indicates the signs that you need to go to the maternity hospital if you feel them.

painful contractions. The appearance of real contractions is a clear sign that it is time to go meet your baby. Strong, painful sensations in the abdomen with a clear interval, accompanied by petrification of its entire surface, indicate the beginning of labor. Read below to learn how to accurately distinguish real contractions from training contractions;
discharge of amniotic fluid. A sudden outpouring of fluid, without the ability to hold it, after a slight pop in the area of the uterus is one of the frequent signs of the onset of labor, indicating the need to go to the maternity hospital. But sometimes things happen differently. A woman detects a change in the consistency of the discharge. The appearance of excessively watery discharge is noticeable on the laundry. In this case, it is also necessary to go to the maternity hospital - this may be leakage of amniotic fluid;
abdominal pain. In some cases, labor may begin in the presence of abdominal pain with contractions resembling training ones. If abdominal pain does not go away after a short rest and gradually increases, you should go to the maternity hospital;
backache. Sometimes the birth process begins with the appearance of severe pain in the lower back. Some women in labor note pain in a certain point of the back, others talk about “spreading” pain throughout the lower back. In any case, a consultation in the emergency room of the maternity hospital will not hurt;
pain in the pubis, thighs, perineum. In rare cases, at the beginning of labor, a woman begins to feel severe pressure and pain in the bones of the small pelvis. It seems as if the bones are starting to diverge sharply in different directions. If at the same time the baby calms down or his movements become more rare, you should go to the maternity hospital.

Having identified these signs, a woman should immediately go to the emergency room of a medical institution. There she will be examined by an obstetrician in a chair and will draw a conclusion about what is happening. In most cases, at this stage, the expectant mother, after filling out the papers and the procedures provided for in the maternity hospital, is sent to the maternity ward, less often - to the pregnancy pathology department, if the labor process has not yet begun. Most often, at the 40th week, the woman is not allowed to go home from the emergency room, but is left under observation until the birth.

Head presentation of the fetus at 40-42 weeks of pregnancy

How to distinguish training from real contractions

Due to the fact that training contractions at 40 weeks are often accompanied by painful sensations, many expectant mothers begin to worry. It seems to them that they can confuse training and real contractions. To dispel this fear, carefully read the differences between false and real contractions:

Periodicity

Training contractions appear at different times and do not have a clearly defined time interval;
Real contractions appear at a certain interval. You can talk about the onset of labor if contractions occur at least 4 times an hour, with an interval of 15 minutes. If it is the first birth, then you should go to the maternity hospital if the interval between contractions is 10 minutes, 6 contractions appear in an hour. With repeated births, there may be a rapid reduction in the interval between contractions, so you should go to the maternity hospital immediately after detecting the onset of labor;

Stomach

Training contractions are characterized by tension only in a certain part of the abdomen (top, bottom, sides);
During a real contraction, tension occurs throughout the entire surface of the abdomen;

The ability to influence the fight

A training contraction can be managed by reducing its intensity with a walk, drink, etc.;
A real fight cannot be affected. The pain does not subside throughout the duration of the contraction; the perception of pain can only be reduced by correct breathing.

As can be seen from the above, training and real contractions have significant differences, and it is quite difficult to confuse them with each other. To make sure that a woman is having a training contraction or a real contraction:

Calm down and collect your thoughts;
Record the frequency between contractions by the hour;
Feel the stomach during a contraction, assess how tense it is;
Try walking during a contraction. If its intensity subsides, this is training; if not, and there is a clear periodicity between abdominal tensions, you need to go to the maternity ward.
Assess the condition between contractions: if a woman can still carry on a conversation, do business, joke during breaks, then there is no need to go to the maternity hospital yet. As soon as the time between contractions decreases, and during the breaks the woman rests and takes a breath, she should immediately head to the maternity hospital!

What to do if labor begins

When a pregnant woman realizes that the labor process has begun, or she is worried about a certain sensation that requires consultation with a specialist, she should go to the maternity hospital. How to do this correctly?

Do not panic, but collect your thoughts;
If the intensity of contractions is weak (4-5 per hour), if the water has not erupted, you can shave the pubic area with the help of loved ones, if this is a mandatory procedure in the selected maternity hospital.

If rupture of amniotic fluid occurs, shaving or performing other genital hygiene procedures is not recommended, as there is a risk of infection;

3. If the labor process began with the rupture of amniotic fluid, note the time when this occurred. Tell your obstetrician in the emergency room. The maximum amount of time for childbirth after the rupture of amniotic fluid is 12 hours, after which a decision must be made about an emergency caesarean section.

4. Call an ambulance, a taxi, or inform your loved ones that you need to go to the maternity hospital in your own car.

5. Take the necessary documents for registration at the maternity hospital. Ideally, they are collected in a separate folder. You need to take:

maternity passport (+copy);
compulsory medical insurance/voluntary medical insurance policy (+ copy);
exchange card issued in hand at the antenatal clinic;
insurance certificate of the state pension fund;
birth certificate (if already received in consultation);
referral to the maternity hospital (if any);
agreement with the maternity hospital or doctor (if any).

6. If you are at home, then take package No. 1 assembled in advance - things from the approved list of the maternity hospital for the delivery room. If you are outside your home, go to a medical facility immediately. You should always have your exchange card with you! On the way, call your loved ones and ask them to bring the necessary things for the delivery room to the maternity hospital.

7. While waiting for the car and on the way, continue to note the intervals between contractions; upon entering the emergency room, report this data to the medical staff.

Following this simple procedure, a woman can easily collect everything she needs and head to the maternity hospital completely ready to meet her baby.

Visiting an obstetrician-gynecologist

At the 40th week of pregnancy, it is possible to schedule a scheduled appointment with a gynecologist. If the doctor decides to wait until the start of labor until the 42nd week, then an appointment will be made every 7 days: you will need to visit the doctor at the 41st week and in the middle of the 42nd week to receive a referral for hospitalization. Before the meeting, you must take tests, directions for which were issued during your last visit to the doctor:

general urine analysis;
general blood analysis.

Before your appointment, be sure to do a fetal cardiotocography (CTG), the results of which you should take with you to your appointment. Also, in some cases, it may be necessary to undergo additional tests to confirm the favorable course of pregnancy.

The appointment at the 40th week is not much different from the usual one. The doctor takes measurements:

body temperature;
blood pressure;
the heartbeat of the mother (measures the pulse) and the fetus (listens through the stethoscope to the stomach);
body weight;
abdominal circumference;
height of the uterine fundus.

Palpation is used to assess the position of the fetus. An examination on a gynecological chair is possible to assess the condition of the cervix.

A mandatory attribute of the appointment remains a survey about the changes that have occurred in the well-being of the pregnant woman.

Based on the results of the visit, the woman may receive a referral for hospitalization. At this stage of pregnancy, this indicates that the body is fully prepared for childbirth or the need to be under constant medical supervision. In any case, this is a normal phenomenon that you should not be afraid of.

At 40-42 weeks, the doctor may suggest that the pregnant woman go to hospital

Ultrasound

At the 40th week of pregnancy, a routine ultrasound is not provided. It is possible to conduct an ultrasound examination for medical reasons during hospitalization in the maternity ward.

If desired, a woman can have an ultrasound scan for a fee to ensure that the pregnancy is progressing well.

Discharge, bleeding and menstruation

At the 40th, 41st and 42nd weeks of pregnancy, the amount of discharge usually does not change. Normally, the discharge is light or milky in color; a slight inclusion of light mucus with bloody streaks is allowed. Normally, more significant bleeding may appear, but this should be an incentive for immediate consultation in the maternity hospital. Usually, the appearance of bloody discharge indicates the passage of a mucus plug, but sometimes it can indicate the presence of pathology. In any case, a consultation at the maternity hospital will not hurt.

Normally, the smell of discharge should remain insignificant, barely perceptible, and sour.

If a woman notices a change in the color of the discharge to green, gray or yellow, she should immediately contact a gynecologist or midwife in the maternity hospital for advice. A sharp change in these signs is a signal of the presence of infection (most often thrush). This state of affairs requires immediate treatment.

Nutrition

40-42 weeks of pregnancy - waiting time for labor to begin. Preparation processes take place in the female body, affecting her eating behavior. You should listen carefully to your own feelings and, if they are within reasonable limits, follow them.

Lack of appetite is a normal condition during the last weeks of pregnancy. The baby is ready to be born, and the female body must get rid of everything unnecessary. You should listen to your body and try to allow it to prepare well for childbirth. To do this, it is recommended to follow some rules:

create a diet of simple, easily digestible foods;
do not force yourself to eat;
reduce the amount of meat consumed, increasing the proportion of vegetables and fruits;
If possible, limit exotic fruits that are not typical for the region where the woman in labor lives. It is especially important to exclude fruits with intense colors: orange, red;
do not overeat, finish the meal before you feel full;
continue to follow the principles of fractional nutrition: eat 5-6 times a day in small portions;

drink enough clean water. Preferably about 1 liter per day, unless otherwise prescribed by the gynecologist;
Continue to monitor the amount of salt you eat and keep it to a minimum.

These simple rules will allow the body not to be distracted by the processes of digestion and will create a feeling of “lightness,” which is very important for a smooth transition into the birth process.

Taking vitamins at 40-42 weeks of pregnancy is not advisable!

At the 40th week of pregnancy, taking multivitamin complexes and dietary supplements is not advisable. In most cases, the gynecologist observing the pregnancy stops taking synthesized vitamins several weeks before the pregnancy. If this does not happen, you need to directly ask him about the need to take dietary supplements at this time.

Restrictions on taking multivitamins in the last weeks of pregnancy are caused by the need to control the rate of weight gain by the fetus. The baby's basic development processes have been completed, and excess nutrients accumulate in the baby's body. This can lead to accelerated weight gain by the baby, which affects the course of labor.

Possible problems

Problems include a cold, which will clearly be an uninvited guest at 40 weeks of pregnancy, so try not to catch the disease while waiting for the baby to be born. Another common problem is the development of edema and increased blood pressure during this period. If you are under the close attention of doctors in the hospital, you are unlikely to face serious complications. Placental abruption, which you read about above, is a dangerous problem that requires an immediate response from medical personnel, especially if it is not a microdetachment. Therefore, if blood appears in your discharge, call an ambulance as soon as possible.

It is possible and it is not possible

The calendar shows the last weeks of pregnancy and expectant mothers are already looking forward to the long-awaited meeting. But this is not the time to relax. The rules of conduct for a pregnant woman during this period should continue to be followed.

At the 40th week of pregnancy, the weight gained since registration can range from 8 to 17 kg. In some cases, a deviation to a smaller or larger direction is possible without concomitant pathology. The doctor must decide whether a pregnant woman needs to adhere to any diet, based on the medical indicators of the individual woman.

We can recommend:

Continue to pay close attention to the recommendations of the gynecologist monitoring the pregnancy, because he knows best what is best for a particular woman;
Take the necessary tests and conduct research in a timely manner. This will help monitor the health status of mother and baby and, if necessary, take the necessary measures in a timely manner;
Avoid alcohol, smoking (even passive smoking), and drugs. These elements are harmful in any condition and age, and during pregnancy they are harmful to 2 people at once: mother and baby;
avoid meeting with sick people. Labor will begin very soon, and a cold or other illness may cause unwanted complications. You should not visit crowded places. Be sure to take measures to prevent infectious diseases;
do not contact with household and construction chemicals. The baby can already withstand threats, but the defense is still very weak. Don’t take risks, trust your loved ones in matters of repair, cleaning, etc.;
follow a daily routine and diet. When Day X comes, a woman will need a lot of strength, so it’s worth storing it up now, avoiding physical or nervous exhaustion.
maintain body hygiene. Cleanliness means health, at this stage there is no need for unnecessary problems with it, as at any other moment in life;
maintain order and cleanliness in the house. Ventilate the room, wipe off dust, wash the floors. It would be ideal if you can shift these tasks onto the shoulders of loved ones so that the pregnant woman does not overwork herself;
do not forget about daily walks outside: preferably in a park or near a pond;
maintain a good mood, cheerful spirit.

Do not forget about the traffic safety of a pregnant woman. Do not do it:

move sharply, jump;
work with arms raised high;
stay in a bent position for a long time;
lift, carry, move heavy objects;
refuse help from loved ones around the house.

All these simple rules will make it easier to take the last steps towards meeting your baby, and ensure a good mood and strength for childbirth.

Sex

Should I have sex at 40 weeks of pregnancy? Every expectant mother decides this question for herself. Most doctors agree that it is better to avoid intimate life, but do not completely prohibit it. If a woman feels a desire for sexual intercourse, then she should not interfere with it. The only thing you need to remember is safety: avoid excessive activity, deep penetrations, and pressure on the stomach.

If the mucus plug has already come off, then before sex you should pay special attention to hygiene, because there is no protective barrier.

In some cases, when the cervix does not begin to contract at 40 weeks, the gynecologist may prescribe intimacy as a stimulant. Male sperm contains a substance that stimulates the softening of the cervix, which allows labor to speed up.

Turning over the last page of pregnancy, every mother is in joyful anticipation. A couple more days or hours, and the meeting for which the woman has been going for 10 lunar months will take place. The mystery developing in the womb will be born, and there will be one more person in the world.

Concluding the pregnancy calendar, I would like to wish every mother in labor a happy meeting with her baby. With the end of this difficult stage, a new one begins - motherhood, which will never end. Once you become a mother, you will feel the connection through your navel with your baby throughout your life. It transforms into a tight invisible umbilical cord connecting 2 lives together.

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Induction of labor

Inducing labor is usually not as risky as the mostly painless methods, but it does result in strong and frequent painful contractions. In some cases you cannot do without it. For example, it happens that the water has already broken, but there are no contractions yet, then cervical stimulation is used. One of the best and natural ways to induce labor is walking, which means that the woman in labor is asked to walk.

When this does not help, then doctors have no choice but to artificially induce labor. For this purpose, there are several methods: a special vaginal gel and a special puncture of the membrane of the amniotic sac with a plastic needle. If the uterus does not want to contract, then hormonal drugs such as miropristone and mifepristone are used. The dose and type of drug are chosen by the doctor individually and this choice depends on many different factors. In some cases, stimulation is contraindicated: if the fetus is too large relative to the mother’s pelvis and in the case of certain diseases.