What happens in the 39th week of pregnancy?

In the 39th week of pregnancy, your baby measures close to 21 inches and weighs over 7 pounds. Your baby is now fully developed and almost ready for the new life outside your womb.

The "lanugo" hair that till now covered a large portion of your baby's body has almost disappeared by now, but your baby still might have a small amount of vernix (a creamy, white substance) around the joints.

Changes in You:

It's almost time to deliver now! You have continued your pregnancy week by week and now you are almost ready! May be, at 39 weeks of pregnancy you are feeling worried, anxious, excited, and tired – all at the same time! A lot of women experience a variety of emotions during this period and after delivery. So in this situation, it is best to be well informed so that you can handle all these feelings in a better way.

Your Braxton-Hicks contractions now might become more frequent and at times a bit uncomfortable as well. True labor develops into a pattern, with contractions growing closer together, but Braxton-Hicks are likely to remain the same.

During true labor, the contractions won't go away regardless of activity and may grow stronger with increased activity for example walking.

Braxton Hicks contractions are likely to become more pronounced at this stage. Also known as "false labor," these contractions may be very painful and strong just like true labor contractions but they do not become regular and do not increase in frequency the way true contractions do.

Note that, if your contractions continue to get longer, stronger and closer together, call your doctor right away. You are most likely in labor!

Another sign of labor is the rupture of your amniotic sac. This could happen any day now. When their water breaks, some women experience only a trickle while some women experience a large gush of water. Several women don’t experience their water breaking until they are well into labor. Others need to have their water broken by their doctors or health care providers to get their labor started or to speed up the process. If you feel your water has broken or incase you are experiencing regular contractions, contact your doctor immediately.

Your Baby's Development

The umbilical cords, that carry nutrients from the placenta to the baby, differ in size but average about 22 inches (55 cm) long and half an inch (1-2 cm) thick. At times the umbilical cord gets wrapped around a baby’s neck. Usually, this does not lead to any problems, though a cesarean delivery might be needed if it creates pressure on the umbilical cord during labor or delivery. A true knot in the umbilical cord is not so common, occurring in just about 1% of pregnancies.

The vernix that covered your baby's skin – most of it has now disappeared, as has the lanugo. The antibodies that are supplied to the baby through the placenta help the baby's immune system fight infection for the first 6-12 months of its life.

During labor and delivery, your baby's heart rate will be monitored. Such kind of monitoring helps the healthcare team evaluate your baby during labor to confirm that everything is going as planned.