41 weeks pregnant: why are there no signs of labor and what to do?

Women who carry a baby under their heart are subject to many fears. Even the calmest begin to worry, as they say, with or without reason.

A woman may periodically feel:

• uterine tone;
• feeling that the lower back is pulling;
• exacerbation of thrush;
• pain in the vagina.

All these signs indicate that childbirth is close, but from day to day there are no changes that clearly indicate the approach of "X hour".

Doctors say that if there are no suspicious symptoms - if the child is actively moving (that is, he does not have enough oxygen) or if the mother has nausea, vomiting, high blood pressure - there is nothing to worry about yet. It is necessary to give time to the baby to prepare for the "release" more thoroughly - perhaps, it is just that the time has not come for him to be born. After all, childbirth is a very individual process.

Pregnancy 41 weeks: what to do

The 40-41 week of pregnancy is considered by doctors as the final stage of bearing a fetus, therefore, in fact, nothing needs to be done yet. A woman is recommended:

• take long walks more often (as per condition);
• eat properly;
• try not to think about the upcoming birth with horror and tune in to a positive outcome, for which purpose the expectant mothers and other exercises learned at school are repeated.

If there is a suspicion that the process is not quite right, for example, there is blood, a brown daub, but there are no contractions, signs of placental abruption are noticed - the woman is hospitalized. Further tactics of pregnancy management and the choice of time and method of delivery depend on the deviations identified by the doctor.

Childbirth at 41 weeks gestation

If you have no signs of labor at 41 weeks of gestation (and they are the first), then the main tactic of gynecologists is waiting. At any time in the 41st obstetric week, pain in the lower abdomen, discomfort in the coccyx, leakage of water may appear - in a word, signs that indicate the proximity of such an expected start.

But if this is the first birth, then these symptoms may occur long before the baby is born, so you should not go to the hospital before regular contractions appear, there, most likely, hospitalization will be refused.

If a woman has a second birth, she needs to be ready to go to the hospital at any moment: signs of imminent delivery in such cases sometimes appear just a few hours before the baby appears. In multiparous, everything happens much faster, and there is a high probability of rapid childbirth - therefore, they should keep it ready in advance. At 41 weeks, with the second birth, expectant mothers sometimes do not notice any signs of childbirth until the outpouring of water. And it also happens: it is observed along with the first strong contractions. Then you need to urgently go to the hospital!

The stomach is stiff at 41 weeks pregnant

The feeling that the stomach becomes like a stone can periodically haunt the expectant mother since the last weeks of the second trimester. This is normal: the uterus is preparing to expel the fetus. This is not dangerous, as well as training fights. Perhaps, to reduce discomfort, a woman will be prescribed no-shpu or genipral. No-shpa is an antispasmodic used by doctors without fear throughout pregnancy. With genipral, you should be careful: if you take it for too long, the muscles of the uterus will relax, and the expectant mother can expect difficulties with the onset of the labor process.

Heartburn at 41 weeks gestation

Of the many sensations a woman experiences towards the end of gestation, heartburn is mentioned most often. Expectant mothers complain that they have:

• stomach ache;
• diarrhea appeared.

Reason: the uterus has reached its maximum size. It literally supports the stomach and large intestine, preventing food from being transported normally through the digestive tract. In order for a woman to endure these troubles easier, she is recommended:

• do not take a horizontal position immediately after eating;
• eat a little, but often;
• periodically take a knee-elbow position to relieve pressure on internal organs, including the kidneys.

At 41 weeks of gestation, the second birth can be sudden, without prior abdominal prolapse (this sometimes happens a couple of hours before giving birth), without a long period of irregular contractions. If at the same time the neck is immature, difficulties in the process and even ruptures are possible. Therefore, doctors recommend multiparous to go to the hospital as soon as possible.

Week 41: the cork is gone, when to give birth?

If the cork has come off, there are usually hours (in multiparous) and 5 days before the start of the process - in primiparas.

Observe the sensations: pulls the lower abdomen, there are severe pains, you constantly want to sleep, dizzy, water runs out? It's time to seek medical attention.

41 weeks pregnant: stimulation of labor in the hospital

How to induce labor at 41 weeks of pregnancy at home, we now have an idea. How is labor stimulation going at 41 weeks of gestation in a hospital?

The woman in labor is given an oxytocin drip. Perhaps mifeprestone will be prescribed as an agent that gently prepares the uterus for childbirth.

How to speed up the process, the doctor decides. All preparation takes place under the control of the fetal heartbeat - a woman is given CTG every hour. Deciphering CTG will show whether the child tolerates the procedure normally - it will be clear how ready he is to be born.

The onset of the labor process may be accompanied by headache, nausea. With drug stimulation, a woman has more painful sensations than with the natural course of the process.

If the preparation does not work, the caesarean section can be applied. It is also necessary in the case when the weight of the child is large, and the mother has a fragile physique, when the baby throws his hands over his head, the transverse position of the fetus, and the accompanying diseases of the mother.

To speed up the onset of labor, prostaglandins can be used. The doctor opens the fetal bladder - an outpouring of water occurs, the woman notices that there are frequent strong contractions.

Stimulation with kelp is also used. They promote soft and gradual cervical opening.

If you are 41 weeks old, and there are no obvious signs of approaching labor, do not worry - there is a planned, albeit imperceptible preparation for the upcoming "work" - childbirth. The kid should not "adjust" to the doctors' calculations, because the date of conception is not known with 100% accuracy. And the key word in the PDD is PROPOSED due date. Your task now is to protect yourself from colds. If your throat hurts, a runny nose begins - take measures quickly so that everything goes away by the time of delivery.

Almost every woman by this time was tired of the long gestation process, so she begins to carefully observe her body in order to recognize the beginning of labor in time. There are several physiological precursors of labor to watch out for.

If the baby is still not born at 41 weeks of gestation, do not worry. Perhaps there was a mistake in calculating the estimated due date. Also, before 42 weeks of gestation is not considered overmaturity.

One of the sure signs of an approaching birth at 41 weeks of gestation is abdominal prolapse. This phenomenon is due to the fact that the child in the uterus begins to descend to the mother's pelvic bones and remains in this position until the onset of contractions.

Another harbinger of childbirth at 41 weeks of gestation is the passage of the plug. At the same time, a woman develops abundant mucous discharge from the vagina. Throughout pregnancy, the cork protected the cervix from the penetration of pathogens. To free the child's genital tract on the eve of childbirth, she begins to move away.

All systems of the female body are preparing for the upcoming birth. Against the background of hormonal changes, a pregnant woman may experience a stool disorder 7-10 days before delivery. Thus, the body cleans itself and removes excess fluid. A day or a few hours before labor, attacks of vomiting, heaviness in the stomach and nausea may occur.

Outpouring of amniotic fluid is one of the important and fundamental signs of an approaching birth process. A similar phenomenon is accompanied by the release of a volumetric amount of fluid from the genital tract. Normally, the amniotic fluid is transparent with blood impurities. Any changes in the shade of amniotic fluid should be reported to the doctor. A yellow or green fluid can indicate infection, hypoxia, or overweight. When pathological waters are poured out before the onset of the birth process, a woman is usually given an artificial delivery (cesarean section). The fetus could ingest toxic amniotic fluid, which adversely affects its health.

Fetal development at 41 weeks gestation

The child at this time is completely ready for birth and independent life outside the mother's womb: the systems and internal organs are formed. There is also sufficient subcutaneous fatty tissue accumulated to maintain an optimal fetal temperature after delivery. The weight of the baby at this time may exceed the standard indicator of 3.5 kg, which is due to the individual characteristics of development.

Every day the child becomes more and more cramped in the mother's womb, therefore, his movements and physical activity at 41 weeks of gestation are rather limited. Movements become more tangible and strong. Sometimes the tremors are so painful that they prevent the expectant mother from getting enough sleep and rest.

At this time, it is important to monitor the state of the placenta, which is gradually aging, thinning and losing the function of conduction of micronutrients. As a result, the fetus receives less oxygen, which leads to problems with the activity of internal organs and brain structures.

How pregnancy manifests itself at 41 weeks

The feelings of the majority of future women in childbirth at this time practically do not differ. Due to the lowering of the abdomen, the manifestations of heartburn are reduced, appetite improves and breathing is easier. The uterus begins to press harder on the bladder, which provokes frequent urination and increased back pain. In addition, the enlarged uterus compresses and displaces the intestines, which leads to constipation, flatulence and abdominal discomfort.

Braxton-Hicks training contractions may still occur, preparing the body for the upcoming birth. The uterine neck continues to soften and shorten. The opening of the cervix at 41 weeks of gestation, which is determined by the obstetrician-gynecologist during examination, indicates an impending birth.

The breast of the expectant mother has increased in size; when pressing on the nipples, colostrum can be released. Those women who have not been involved in preparing their breasts for breastfeeding can start doing so now. A contrast shower, breast massage and nipple rubbing with a towel can help.

As a result of sprains, 41 weeks of gestation may be accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen, which increases with palpation or walking. The skin on the abdomen is highly stretched, which leads to the appearance of stretch marks and itching of the skin.

Medical examination at 41 weeks of gestation

If a future woman in labor at 41 weeks pregnant is under observation in the inpatient department of the maternity hospital, an ultrasound scan may be prescribed for her. During the study, the doctor determines the transparency of the amniotic fluid, the maturity of the placenta and the weight of the fetus.

According to the indications, a Doppler examination is prescribed, which makes it possible to assess the nature of blood flow in the veins of the placenta and the vessels under investigation. Also, cardiotocography is performed - the study of the fetal heart rate.

If, in the course of the examinations carried out at 41 weeks of pregnancy, fetal prolongation is diagnosed, the future woman in labor can be stimulated by labor or a cesarean section.

Potential bearing problems at 41 weeks

The risk of placental abruption remains this week. To prevent this, the expectant mother needs to avoid falls and sudden jumps. It is also possible to develop eclampsia - late toxicosis, which is accompanied by convulsive seizures and coma. Late gestosis can also occur during childbirth, so it is important for a future mother to monitor blood pressure and the presence of edema.

Many women, to speed up the onset of labor, begin to do vigorous exercise, ride over bumps and practice acupuncture. It is not recommended to do this, since such actions can affect the health of the fetus and the expectant mother, as well as lead to a violation of the delivery process.

You should consult a gynecologist at 41 weeks of pregnancy if you find the following violations and abnormalities:

• Increased tone of the uterus, which is accompanied by pulling continuous pain in the lower abdomen;
• A sharp increase or complete absence of fetal movements;
• Increased edema;
• The appearance of brown, pink, bloody vaginal discharge;
• Increase in pressure, temperature;
• Discharge of blood from the vagina.

Endurance and poise are the main recommendations for future women in labor during this period. Every day it becomes more difficult for a woman to walk and perform various actions. The main thing is to try not to worry, gain strength and enjoy the last days of unity with the baby.

Power features

In the last weeks of gestation, the expectant mother should adhere to moderate and fractional nutrition. It is not recommended to completely exclude various cereals, sweets, fish, meat and dairy products from the diet. Childbirth is a complex and lengthy process that requires serious efforts and energy from a woman.

Taking vitamins

If, during the gestation period, the doctor prescribed the pregnant woman to take calcium, vitamin D or any multivitamin preparations, they should be continued until the onset of childbirth and during the postpartum recovery period. If necessary, vitamin complexes for nursing are selected.

Sex at 41 weeks pregnant

Sexual intercourse is a safe and natural way to speed up the onset of labor. Male semen contains substances that soften and dilate the uterus, and contractions of the uterus during orgasm help prepare it for labor during delivery.

After the mucous plug comes off, the risk of penetration of pathogens and infection of the membranes increases significantly, so it is better to use a condom or refrain from sexual intercourse.

Physical activity

It is recommended to limit any physical activity during this period. Even special exercises for pregnant women should be discarded. Outdoor hiking is allowed (long and long hikes are not recommended). You can also do breathing exercises and Kegel exercises, which will prepare your pelvic muscles for childbirth and help you quickly recover from them.

There are currently many methods of how to prepare the cervix for childbirth; alternative methods, and, of course, doctor's prescriptions can help. First, let's figure out why it is needed and whether it is necessary at all.

Uterus before childbirth

Before giving birth, the uterus undergoes changes necessary for a successful birth. In shape, the uterus resembles a large egg, pointed downward with a sharp end. Before childbirth, the excitability of the myometrium, the muscular layer of the uterus, increases, precursors, episodes of tension in the uterus appear.

This tone of the uterus before childbirth leads to a softening and thinning of its lower segment, the myometrium in the upper part of the uterus, on the contrary, thickens, the child moves lower and its head or other presenting part descends into the small pelvis. There is a prolapse of the abdomen before childbirth, the abdomen seems to become smaller in size and does not press so much on the mother's diaphragm as before. The height of the bottom of the uterus before childbirth decreases, by the end of pregnancy it drops by about 5 cm and reaches a height of 35 cm above the bosom.

Thinning of the lower segment of the uterus occurs simultaneously with the maturation of the cervix. This is called softening of the uterus before delivery.

Preparing the uterus for childbirth

The woman's body does not always prepare for childbirth effectively enough itself, and then there is a tendency to prolong pregnancy. It happens that childbirth begins, despite the fact that the birth canal and the uterus of the pregnant woman are not ready for them, which leads to the fact that they proceed for a long time, are accompanied by injuries and ruptures of the cervix, and sometimes completely, they have to end with a cesarean section.

If a gynecologist at 39-40 weeks of gestation does not see any symptoms in your body that the necessary processes of preparation for the birth of a baby are going on in the body, signs of uterine opening before childbirth are not found, you will be specially prepared for childbirth.

Fortunately, there are now enough ways to soften the uterus before childbirth, but it is more correct to talk about preparing the cervix, and not the uterus itself.

Cervix before childbirth

An examination of the cervix before childbirth is carried out in the last weeks at each visit to the consultation. During pregnancy, the cervix is \u200b\u200bhard and long, the cervical canal is tightly closed, it is additionally blocked by a mucous plug. Such an immature cervix before childbirth in the last weeks is not the norm, its changes should begin at least 2 weeks before the due date.

What happens to the neck?

It becomes softer and more elastic, the length of the cervix before childbirth is reduced by at least half. The softening of the cervix and its opening is accompanied by the discharge of the mucous plug, mucous discharge from the genital tract and contractions - harbingers. The cervix unfolds anteriorly due to the softening of the lower segment of the uterus, becomes short and elastic, and now nothing prevents the birth of a baby, with the onset of labor, the mature cervix will easily open, its edges will be elastic enough for the baby to be successfully born.

Immature cervix

The term immature cervix before childbirth is used in cases when the term of labor has already approached, and the cervix is \u200b\u200bstill firm, long, its cervical canal is closed, and it itself has not turned along the wired axis of the pelvis and is wrapped slightly posteriorly.

An immature cervix is \u200b\u200ba diagnosis.

She will prevent childbirth. It is useless to stimulate labor with an immature cervix, there will not be enough effective contractions, the woman will only get exhausted, and the birth will drag on for a day or more, and it is unlikely that the baby will be born without the help of doctors.

Of course, for the fetus, long painful, difficult childbirth is also not good, but harm, very often babies suffer from a lack of oxygen during such childbirth, get injured, just like their mothers - because the immature cervix before childbirth is a frequent cause of its rupture during childbirth. This is how a woman's body works, even if the cervix does not open normally, the uterus will contract until either the cervix or the wall of the uterus ruptures, and the crumb will crawl forward, once labor has begun, it must end, and no one has remained pregnant forever.

Preparing the cervix for childbirth

Preparing the cervix for childbirth becomes an imperative if a woman is walking. There are also situations when it is necessary to bring the delivery date closer for medical reasons, for example, if the continuation of pregnancy threatens the mother's health due to preeclampsia, heart disease, or the baby is experiencing hypoxia and it is better for him to be born early.

How to prepare your cervix for childbirth?

Methods to prepare the cervix for childbirth can be divided into medical and folk methods. Despite the fact that there are many well-known folk methods describing how to prepare the cervix for childbirth at home and without medication, we do not recommend using any of them without consulting a doctor, because many are simply dangerous and can harm you and your baby.

Medical methods:

The softening of the cervix before childbirth occurs under the influence of prostaglandins. They can be obtained naturally or externally.

Physical irritation of the cervix by pressure on the walls of the cervical canal, massage, stimulates the production of its own prostaglandins.

Examples of methods for stimulating the maturation of the cervix:

In order to help ripen the cervix, kelp is injected into its canal. These are thin sticks, no thicker than a match, which can grow tenfold under the influence of moisture. Laminaria is made from seaweed. They are injected into a woman's cervical canal on a gynecological chair. The procedure is unpleasant and painful, but the next day or two will be even more fun. Growing rapidly, the kelp exert constant increasing pressure on the neck, swelling in its canal. The cervix quickly matures and softens, which is accompanied by training contractions, pain in the lower abdomen, and mucous secretions.

The dilation of the cervix before childbirth is accelerated ... when examined by a gynecologist on a chair. From many successful mothers, you can hear that after an examination with a check of the patency of the cervical canal, their mucous plug came off, and the process of preparing for childbirth accelerated.

Opening the cervix before childbirth is quick, although painful, with a gel containing prostaglandins. It is injected directly into the cervical canal, and it quickly softens, with an increase in training contractions and precursors, which tires the pregnant woman.

The hard cervix before childbirth also softens when using antispasmodics and beta-blockers, these are pills and injections, this treatment is used less often.

Folk ways:

Sex before childbirth, promotes the opening of the cervix, both due to mechanical stimulation, and due to the fact that the man's sperm is rich in prostaglandins. Orgasm by itself, when a woman is ready, can provoke childbirth. Sex is contraindicated in the presence of placenta previa, as well as if the cork has moved away or water is draining.

Some herbs can also help ripen the cervix, such as evening primrose oil, raspberry leaf, strawberry leaf, rose hips. Any folk methods conceal pitfalls, there may be an allergy or intolerance to herbs, unusual reactions, so you should always consult a gynecologist if you need one or another treatment.

Increasing physical activity, walking on stairs, squatting, and other similar recommendations require an approach no less careful than taking medications or herbs. In the pathology of pregnancy, they can cause complications, for example, placental abruption.

Well, and most importantly, remember that an immature cervix is \u200b\u200ba diagnosis, that is, if you are told that everything is going well for you, nothing needs to be done. The body itself knows when to prepare for childbirth and how, everything happens naturally. And no matter how tired you are of pregnancy, no matter how tired you are of your belly, there is no need to stimulate the onset of labor without clear indications, rely on the opinion of your doctor when making decisions.

If the documented date of birth has passed safely, and you still have not given birth, then most often this is not a deviation from the norm and there is nothing to worry about. Perhaps the baby is good and comfortable in his mother's tummy, and he is in no hurry to leave it. However, it is necessary to listen more carefully to his movements and in case of a sudden change in their number, immediately seek medical help. It is also worth monitoring the discharge in order to notice in time the outpouring or leakage of amniotic fluid, as well as premature placental abruption.

What does a baby look like at 41 weeks of gestation

At 41 weeks gestation, the baby may still be in the womb. If the placental blood flow is not disturbed, then there is nothing dangerous in this. The growth of the baby is about 50-55 cm, and the weight is 3400-4300 g. If the fetus is too large, the doctor may decide to carry out a cesarean section, since complications may arise during natural childbirth.

There are several reasons for the birth of large children, the percentage of which has increased recently. These include:

• Poor nutrition of a pregnant woman. The use of high-calorie and fatty foods, as well as the use of semi-finished products, leads to the fact that an excess amount of fat reserves is deposited in the baby's subcutaneous tissue. In addition, the mother's body also suffers. It is known that too much weight gain during pregnancy threatens the development of endocrine disorders in the baby in the future.
• The hereditary factor explains the appearance of a large child in tall parents. In this case, this process can be considered physiological. It is important that the ratio of the length of the femur to the circumference of the abdomen does not deviate from the norm.
• The presence of metabolic disorders in a woman (obesity, sugar), which are independent risk factors for the birth of a large fetus.
• Anatomical features of the placenta and prolongation. With a large placenta and preserved blood flow through the arteries, the baby can mature faster and by this time significantly increase in size.

41 weeks pregnant: mom's condition

A woman in the forty-first week of pregnancy experiences anxiety and fear, as she worries about a baby who does not want to be born in any way. However, in most cases this is the norm, especially when it comes to prolonged pregnancy, and not truly postponed.

There are several signs that doctors use to distinguish between these conditions. Prolonged pregnancy is characterized by:

• the woman's age is less than 30 years;
• an irregular cycle due to ovarian dysfunction or other endocrine disorders;
• discrepancy between the calculated period and the one determined by ultrasound.

Postterm pregnancy often develops:

• when the woman is over 30 years old;
• in the presence of concomitant infections of the urogenital tract;
• in women with a history of late birth;
• with immaturity of the cervix in the fortieth week of pregnancy.

By 41 weeks, the fetus may stop actively moving, which should not be a cause for concern. The fact is that the child becomes very cramped in the uterus, and it is not very convenient for him to move with the head pressed.

What is the danger?

If delivery is delayed, constant monitoring of the condition of the fetus and placenta is required. This allows you to fix the transition of prolonged pregnancy to post-term.

A possible risk associated with prolonged pregnancy is a significant increase in the baby's size, which will impede his normal movement through the birth canal and outward.

If the fetus lacks air, its body spasms, movements become more intense. As a result, premature bowel cleansing can occur. In this case, the first feces (meconium) enter the amniotic fluid, and from there they can enter the child's respiratory tract, which leads to their blockage. The result is the development of the so-called meconium aspiration syndrome. In such cases, immediate suction of fluid with meconium from the nasal cavity, mouth, pharynx, trachea of \u200b\u200bthe newborn is necessary. Artificial ventilation may also be required.

With a post-term pregnancy, the process of hardening of the bones of the fetus continues. This also applies to the cranial bones. The head loses the ability to flatten a little in the process of passing through the birth canal, which can provoke birth injuries or even make it impossible for the fetus to move along the birth canal.

For these reasons, for gestational periods exceeding 40 weeks, constant monitoring is extremely necessary.

If childbirth did not occur in the forty-first week, then experts recommend not to panic. However, it is advisable to go to the pregnancy pathology department, where doctors will be able to monitor the condition of the mother and baby around the clock.

What tests and medical examinations are carried out at 41 weeks?

If a woman decides to wait for childbirth at home, she needs regular consultation with an obstetrician-gynecologist to determine the condition of the fetus and assess the body's readiness for childbirth.

During the survey, they measure:

• abdominal circumference;
• arterial pressure;
• the height of the uterine fundus;
• fetal heartbeat.

If necessary, an additional ultrasound is prescribed to determine the amount of amniotic fluid, the size and correct location of the fetus, and the possible overlap of the exit from the uterus by the placenta.

To assess the effectiveness of placental blood flow, a Doppler study is prescribed. This is necessary to determine if the placenta is leading to a deterioration in the supply of oxygen and nutrients to the fetus. If the results of the study show that the baby does not have enough oxygen, a caesarean section or induction of labor may be prescribed.

How to determine the approach of labor

In most cases, some time before the onset of labor, the mucous plug comes off. It comes out in parts or at one time. The Woman finds a yellowish-white or brownish mucous mass on her linen. Its appearance indicates the readiness of the cervix for childbirth. In a certain percentage of women, the plug comes off before childbirth itself or even with amniotic fluid. Sometimes expectant mothers mistake the mucous plug for amniotic fluid. To understand what actually stands out, you can use a sanitary napkin. If after 20-35 minutes it gets wet, this indicates the discharge of amniotic fluid. So it's time to go to the hospital.

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