The 41st week of pregnancy has just begun and there are no signs of childbirth? Is irregular contractions in the 41st week of your pregnancy a sign that you should go to the hospital? How to speed up childbirth with safe, home methods in the 41st week of pregnancy? If you are looking for information on what to do if your due date has passed, in this post we answer the most frequently asked questions.
41 weeks of pregnancy and nothing, so how is it possible that labor has not yet started?
Physiologically, pregnancy lasts 40 weeks, i.e. a full 9 months. If the 41st week of pregnancy (40.1-41 tc) has started, it means that the woman has officially started the 10th month of pregnancy, but not always. Many pregnant women, before conception, have irregular menstrual cycles, and in such cases the doctor, calculating the due date based on the date of the last menstruation, certainly informed the patient that this was an approximate date. That is why a child may be born both earlier and even 2 weeks after the estimated date of delivery entered on the pregnancy card. Thus, if the 41st week of pregnancy has begun, the absence of signs of labor is not necessarily an abnormality.
In Poland, a childbirth that occurs before the end of the 42nd week of pregnancy (41 tc + 6 days) is considered physiological. It should also be remembered that only about 5% of babies are born on time, therefore the 41st week of pregnancy is still within the physiological norm.
A pregnant woman should be under the constant care of her attending physician, who may recommend follow-up visits even every 2 days. Most hospitals recommend that pregnant women over 40 years of age report for a routine CTG examination. It is worth finding out in advance what rules apply in a given hospital and enrolling in a hospital CTG point. In the 41st week of pregnancy, it grows risk of complications e.g. placental insufficiency or vascular flow disorders.
Is lower abdominal pain a cause for concern at 41 weeks of pregnancy?
At this stage of pregnancy, the baby is already large and fully formed. Usually it weighs around 3400 - 4200 grams and measures over 50 cm. By assuming the longitudinal head position, the fetus presses more and more against the symphysis and the uterus, stimulating it to gradually dilate and shorten. This is why, in the 41st week of pregnancy, lower abdominal pain may accompany a pregnant woman, especially when standing and walking.
It is worth listening to your body and although during this period of pregnancy it is difficult to find a comfortable body position, in case of discomfort in the lower abdomen, you should rest in a lying or half sitting position.
If the abdominal pain is severe and dull, does not go away with rest, and becomes accompanied by other, disturbing symptoms, such as spotting from the genital tract, high blood pressure or unusual fetal activity, you should immediately see a doctor.
What can mean hardening of the abdomen in XNUMX weeks of pregnancy?
Many women complain of a hard stomach at 41 weeks of pregnancy. There may be various reasons for this, but usually it shouldn't be alarming. First of all, uterine hardening is related to its contractile activity the so-called predictive contractions (Braxton-Hicks), which occur from about 20 weeks of pregnancy (their intensity is individual for each pregnant woman, but usually increases in the third trimester). Colloquially it is said that the uterus "trains" in this way before the actual delivery.
This is why, in the 41st week of pregnancy, irregular contractions, not accompanied by other, disturbing symptoms, are considered predictive contractions that do not require medical consultation. To alleviate them, it's a good idea to rest, take a warm shower or a mild spasmolytic agent. Sudden change of position, stress related to the upcoming delivery, physical exertion and sudden movement of the fetus may cause the pregnant woman to feel a hard belly at 41 weeks of pregnancy. If this condition persists for several hours and does not pass despite rest, it is worth going to the hospital for CTG and ultrasound examinations to check the child's well-being.
How to speed up childbirth by natural means in 41 weeks of pregnancy?
Pregnant women in this period often dream of giving birth and taking their long-awaited baby in their arms. This is why, at 41 weeks gestation, the lack of contractions and other signs of labor begins to bother them so much. And although pregnant women are aware that both their body and their baby will probably choose the best time to start labor, they are often looking for proven ones that will support nature in this process.
There are several safe, home-made ways to speed up your labor by natural and safe methods in the 41st week of pregnancy:
- Walking and moderate physical activity. While walking, the baby's head puts more pressure on the uterus, stimulating it to open and shorten. If a pregnant woman wants to give birth very much, and the lack of contractions in the 41st week of pregnancy makes her depressed, it is worth going for a walk with a partner, friend, or vacuuming the house. Of course, everything is reasonable, without overworking yourself. You can do as well quiet dance, with many elements of hip activity: circulation or "spinning eights". This will help to relax the body a little, relieve stress and stimulate the uterus. These pelvic movements can also be performed on a large ball.
- Nipple massage. You can do it yourself or ask your partner for help. Teasing the nipples is to be pleasant but intense, thanks to which the level of oxytocin in the pregnant woman's body will increase. No contractions at 41 weeks of pregnancy? A nipple massage will naturally stimulate the uterus to act.
- Sex. Prostaglandins are naturally present in male sperm, which stimulate the cervix to increase contractile activity (but only when it is ready for it). Sex, in physiological pregnancy, does not cause premature labor, therefore it can be safely practiced until the last day before delivery. Sexual intercourse is also the best massage for the perineum, so if the doctor does not see any contraindications, and the pregnant woman wants to have sex, it should not be abandoned even in the 41st week of pregnancy.
- The use of herbs. It has both its supporters and opponents due to the fact that they are not effective enough. For some pregnant women, they will work better, for others not at all - it is best to discuss their use and dosage individually with your midwife. The herbal preparations stimulating the contractile activity of the uterus include i.a. raspberry leaf infusion, massage or bath with the addition of sage oil, or evening primrose oil.
41 weeks of pregnancy: admission to hospital and induction of labor. Is it always necessary?
All medical interventions at each stage of pregnancy are decided by the attending physician, and in emergency cases, by a specialist who will see the patient at the emergency room at the hospital, based on the health condition of the woman and the fetus. Sometimes, in the 41st week of pregnancy, the pregnant woman is referred to the hospital if 7 days have passed from the designated day of delivery. This only happens when the doctor in charge of the pregnancy, based on the results of ultrasound and CTG tests, decides that the patient and the child should be under constant medical supervision.
If, however, no abnormalities are found, the pregnant woman should regularly appear for the appointed examinations, and wait patiently at home for the first symptoms of childbirth.
Symptoms such as:
- a significant change in the child's activity: excessive, rapid mobility or its complete absence (a pregnant woman should observe at least 4 contractions in one hour. The best observation is 3 times a day, lying on her side, after main meals)
- fetal heart failure;
- the placenta has reached the last, XNUMXrd degree of maturity i becomes inefficient;
- disturbance of vascular flow, which can lead to fetal hypoxia;
- significant reduction in the amount of amniotic fluid.
The doctor is able to detect this type of abnormalities during ultrasound and CTG examinations.
A pregnant woman in the 41st week of pregnancy should immediately visit the hospital also when she notices: greenish discharge from the amniotic fluid, bleeding or heavy brown vaginal discharge, severe abdominal pain, severe headache and visual disturbances accompanied by high blood pressure (140/90 mmHg and more).
We also go to the maternity ward when childbirth begins in the 41st week of pregnancy: the amniotic fluid is gone (especially with a positive GBS result) and when you have regular uterine contractions.
Konsultation:
Ph.D. n. med. prof. IMID Tadeusz Issat - Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at the Institute of Mother and Child;
Maria Krowicka-Wasyl - resident physician in the course of specialization in gynecology and obstetrics, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Institute of Mother and Child.
