Fortieth Week of Pregnancy

Fortieth week of pregnancy. All the worry over, all the sweat lost, all the tension filled days now almost to an end, all the tears shed, all the fears felt, now coming to zero in on the main date, the date of delivery. If you, as a pregnant woman are still wondering why you are pregnant still, only remember that that only five percent of the women deliver on time. Even if you don’t deliver for the next fortnight, you are not overdue. This is because forty weeks is just an assumed pregnancy period. No one actually knows when the baby was conceived. Thus all our calculations are based on a hypothetical date. 

But it is not that since we have almost neared the end, the baby has stopped developing or that the baby is completely ready. The process of development in the baby continues till as long as she is eighteen years old. Thus every step towards delivery is only the beginning, the rest remains. 

The Baby

• Length : The baby, Miss Fetus now weighs 7 pounds and 8 ounces and measures 19 to 31 inches long from head to toe.
• Fat cells : The fat cells continue to grow in the baby. Our Miss Fetus loves to grow fat cells as it provides her with the insulation that she would need once she leaves the cozy uterine warmth. The fat also gives the baby sweet chubby cheeks. The fat deposits ensure that the baby can survive in the outer world.
• Bones : All the bones of the baby harden by now and Miss Fetus is building up her bone resistance very well. The skull bones however remain soft so that they can come out of the birth canal easily. The baby has a conical head for some days for the initial days after birth. There are two soft spots or fontanelles on the baby’s head. Nature takes care of the structure of Miss Fetus’ head so well that it allows an easy delivery. 
• Immunities : Immunity is developed by the baby for survival outside. Miss Fetus completes her growth inside and is well equipped to face the world outside. The fortieth week marks a complete and full pregnancy and the baby is completely prepared to come out. http://www.biblehealth.com/stages-of-pregnancy-week-by-week/fortieth-week-of-pregnancy-1.html