Week 41
About the size ofa small watermelon
Your baby is now 50 cm and 3430 grams.
It may be a disappointment, but it is quite possible that you start this week without anything having happened. In the end only four per cent of all babies arrive exactly on their due date. Why a pregnancy can last longer is not exactly known. It is thought to be related to the size of the placenta. A large placenta produces a lot of progesterone, a hormone that slows down contractions. It may also be that the stimuli that should start the contractions are not strong enough. Here is some reassurance: of the babies who are overdue, ninety per cent are born within ten days of the due date.
Are you 41 weeks pregnant and has labour not started yet? Then we advise a membrane sweep: during an internal examination we gently loosen the membranes from the cervix, which can help labour start. An earlier sweep is possible after discussion. We also discuss with you whether and when labour will be induced in the hospital. After 42 weeks the risk of problems for your baby increases, so labour is then induced.