Baby development

At 41 weeks of gestation, the baby is fully formed and ready to be born, but if he is not yet born, the doctor is likely to advise the induction of labor to stimulate uterine contractions, up to a maximum of 42 weeks of gestation.

The baby's birth should happen this week because after 42 weeks the placenta will be aged and will not be able to meet all the baby's needs. Therefore, if you are 41 weeks old and do not have contractions and your belly is not stiff, what you can do is walk for at least 1 hour a day to encourage contractions.

Thinking about the baby and mentally preparing for childbirth also helps in the development of labor.

Baby development - 41 weeks gestation

All the baby's organs are properly formed, but the more time he spends inside the mother's belly, the more fat he will have accumulated and will have received a greater amount of defense cells, thus making the immune system more strengthened.

Baby size at 41 weeks gestation

The baby at 41 weeks of gestation is about 51 cm and weighs, on average, 3.5 kg.

Photos of the baby at 41 weeks of gestation

Changes in women at 41 weeks of gestation

A woman at 41 weeks of gestation may be tired and short of breath. The size of the belly can be a nuisance when sitting and sleeping and sometimes she may think that it would be better if the baby was already outside.

Contractions can start at any time and tend to get stronger and more painful. If you want a normal birth, having sex can help to speed up labor and once contractions begin, you should write down the time and how often they arrive to assess the progress of labor. See: Signs of labor.

In some cases before contractions begin, the bag may rupture, in which case you should go to the hospital right away to avoid infections.

See too:

Your pregnancy by trimester

To make your life easier and you don't waste time looking, we have separated all the information you need for each trimester of pregnancy. What quarter are you in?