What is happening in week 38
Doctors count pregnancy weeks from the first day of your last period, so week 38 sits in the third trimester (week 28 until birth). That is about 2 weeks to go until week 40, and about 8.7 months by a rough conversion. At about 49.8cm in week 38 the baby is storing meconium.
Your baby
The NHS guide gives about 49.8cm, a stick of rhubarb. Most of the fine downy lanugo hair has gone, and the baby is storing meconium, the sticky green substance that normally comes out as the first poo after birth.
Your body
Waiting can bring frustration or boredom. Painless Braxton Hicks contractions, backache, swollen hands and feet and sleep problems may continue.
This week’s to-do
- Attend your antenatal appointment; the midwife or doctor will measure the bump, check blood pressure and test urine for protein.
- If you are having a planned caesarean, the NHS says it is usually booked for 39 weeks or later.
- Rest and keep your phone charged.
When to call
Call your doctor or hospital if you have any bleeding, or if you have severe headaches, as the NHS links protein in the urine to a possible pre-eclampsia risk.
Chaitanya Hospital in Kadapa, near RTC Bus Stand, Simhapuri Colony, provides delivery and emergency care 24/7. Our antenatal check-ups team can answer questions about your own pregnancy.
Use the week-by-week guide to jump to your week, or the due date calculator to work out your dates. Timings for scans and tests come from NHS guidance in the UK and can differ from your doctor’s schedule, so always follow your own doctor’s advice. This page is educational and not a substitute for a doctor.
Sources
Text on this page is paraphrased from the sources above. Sizes are averages and vary between babies.