Pregnancy Calendar - Week 38
Key points
- Your baby will be gaining weight fairly constantly now from day to day, and her intestines will be starting to accumulate meconium, a greenish-black substance that constitutes yur baby's first bowel movement.
- Your baby weighs about 6 pounds, 13 ounces (3100 grams) by now and measures about 13.8 inches (35 centimeters) in length.
- Cells shed from the intestines, dead skin cells and lanugo hair are some of the waste products that contribute to meconium.
- If you're having a boy, his testicles have descended into the scrotum, unless he has a condition called undescended testicle.
Week 38
Your baby will be gaining weight fairly constantly now from day to day, and her intestines will be starting to accumulate meconium, a greenish-black substance that constitutes yur baby's first bowel movement. Your baby weighs about 6 pounds, 13 ounces (3100 grams) by now and measures about 13.8 inches (35 centimeters) in length. Cells shed from the intestines, dead skin cells and lanugo hair are some of the waste products that contribute to meconium. If you're having a boy, his testicles have descended into the scrotum, unless he has a condition called undescended testicle. If you're having a girl, the labia are now completely developed.
You may start to experience "false labor". These contractions may be felt in various parts of your body (back, lower abdomen and/or pelvis). True labor pains start at the top of your uterus and then spread over the entire uterus, through your lower back and into the pelvis. Because your baby is engaged in your pelvis, your bladder is extremely compressed, making frequent bathroom trips a necessity.
Written and revised by
David Cohen, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
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