What may change in your body
Pelvic pressure, trouble sleeping, frequent trips to the bathroom and vaginal discharge may increase. Contractions may come and go until a labor pattern is established.
Care for this week
Rest and eat regularly; you don't need to 'speed up' labor.
Follow the agreed plan for your waters breaking, bleeding and contractions.
Keep paying attention to movements.
Prenatal care focus
- Monitoring remains weekly, or more frequent if needed.
If you're expecting twins
If it is a twin pregnancy that is still ongoing, follow the team's plan strictly — the birth window is usually different from that of a single pregnancy.
For those by your side
Avoid filling the calendar with visits. Save energy and availability for the birth.
Questions for this week
Do the waters always break before contractions?
No. Labor can start with contractions, and the waters can break before or during the process.
Can I stay at home with contractions?
It depends on the pattern, your waters, any bleeding, movements, distance from the maternity hospital and your care team's advice.
When to seek care
- Fluid leaking from the vagina, especially in a gush or a continuous trickle, needs to be evaluated.
- Once movements have become familiar, a significant decrease in the pattern you notice should be evaluated without waiting until the next day.
- After 20 weeks, a severe/persistent headache, vision changes, severe pain in the upper abdomen or sudden swelling deserve evaluation for a possible hypertensive condition.
In an emergency, go to the urgent care service in your area. This content does not replace a professional assessment.
The next chapter
In week 39, the pregnancy is full term and anticipation grows — but there is no obligation for labor to start right now.
See week 39Was this helpful?
Sources and transparency
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Brazilian Pregnancy Booklet, the official prenatal record (Caderneta Brasileira, updated in 2026)
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Prenatal care (Ministério da Saúde — Pré-natal)
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — High-Risk Pregnancy Manual — Multiple pregnancy (Manual de Gestação de Alto Risco — Gestação múltipla)
- NHS — Week-by-week guide to pregnancy
- ACOG — How Your Fetus Grows During Pregnancy
- Brazil's Ministry of Health — Prenatal tests and vaccines (Ministério da Saúde — Exames e vacinas no pré-natal)
- ACOG — Bleeding During Pregnancy
Nilu editorial content, written from the official sources above. Individual clinical review of each week is in progress — this text is for information and does not replace your prenatal care.