What is happening in week 42
Doctors count pregnancy weeks from the first day of your last period, so week 42 sits in the third trimester (week 28 until birth). That is 2 weeks past week 40, and about 9.7 months by a rough conversion. Week 42 is two weeks past a 40-week due date, so extra hospital visits are usually advised.
Your baby
The NHS guide says the risks of going past the due date are still small but increase after 41 weeks. An NHS trust leaflet says that if a pregnancy goes more than 2 weeks past the due date, extra hospital visits are usually advised.
Your body
You may feel tired, uncomfortable and impatient. Labour can still start naturally, and the baby should keep moving in its usual pattern.
This week’s to-do
- Keep every check-up your doctor plans, and ask what the plan is if labour has not started.
- Ask questions about induction and what to expect; the NHS says earlier delivery may be advised for medical reasons.
- Keep your hospital bag and transport ready.
When to call
Call your doctor or hospital straight away if the baby moves less, your waters break, you have bleeding, or you have regular painful contractions.
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
- South Tees NHS: Offer of induction of labour at 41 weeks
- Cambridge University Hospitals: Reduced fetal movements
- NHS Best Start in Life: 41 weeks pregnant
Text on this page is paraphrased from the sources above. Sizes are averages and vary between babies.