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Trimester 3 · week 40 of 40

40 weeks pregnant

Forty weeks marks the due date for many pregnancies. It's an estimate, not an expiration date: some pregnancies go into labor earlier and others later.

Translated from the original Brazilian Portuguese content with the help of artificial intelligence. Read the original in Portuguese

Read about your current week or get ready for what comes next.
Visual size comparison at week 40: a watermelon
Visual reference: a watermelon. Not an individual clinical measurement.
Quick read

In 1 minute

  • The baby is at term.
  • Movements remain important until birth.
  • Monitoring doesn't end just because the due date has arrived.
Fetal development

How your baby is doing this week

At this stage, the baby is usually ready for the transition to life outside the womb, but the brain, nervous system and other functions will keep maturing after birth. The placenta and fetal well-being continue to be monitored as long as the pregnancy continues.

3D artistic representation of fetal development at week 40
Artistic 3D representation. This is not an ultrasound and does not represent your baby's individual development.
Body and routine

What may change in your body

The wait can be physically and emotionally exhausting. Contractions may become more frequent, or labor may start relatively suddenly. There is no requirement to feel specific signs before it begins.

Possible steps

Care for this week

  1. Keep your appointments and the monitoring plan for after the due date.

  2. Seek care for decreased movements, bleeding, leaking fluid or any signs your care team has told you about.

  3. Avoid home methods of induction without professional guidance.

Prenatal care focus

  • There is no 'discharge' from prenatal care before the birth. The team decides when to step up monitoring and when to discuss induction or other options.
Twin pregnancy

If you're expecting twins

For twin pregnancies, reaching 40 weeks is uncommon and planning follows its own criteria; never automatically apply the single-pregnancy calendar.

Support network

For those by your side

Help protect rest, ease the pressure and keep logistics ready without collective anxiety.

Common questions

Questions for this week

I'm past my due date. Is it dangerous?

The date is an estimate. The risk and the plan depend on the confirmed gestational age, the monitoring and maternal and fetal conditions.

When is induction recommended?

The decision depends on gestational age, clinical conditions, assessment of the baby, the cervix and the service's protocol; it should be discussed with your care team.

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.

After birth

The next chapter

After the birth, the journey moves to a new chapter: the mother's recovery, bonding, feeding the baby, sleep and the postpartum period become the center of care.

Explore postpartum

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Sources and transparency

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.