illustration of developing human baby at 42 weeks

42 weeks pregnant

Come on Baby! It can be normal for a baby to stay in the womb for a bit longer than average — after all, all pregnancies are just as different as the babies they produce!

How’s Baby?

The bulk of Baby’s crucial development in the womb is already taken care of at this point. So your little one will be well prepared to be out in the world whenever it is they decide they’re ready to arrive!  

At this point in pregnancy, more tests are probably the last thing you want, but your healthcare provider may perform a non-stress test to check your little one’s heart rate during your contractions to make sure that everything is going smoothly. Even pregnancies that have been totally healthy up until this point can run into some trouble when Baby stays stubbornly snuggled in your uterus this long. So your healthcare provider will do all they can to be thorough and ensure that everything is a-okay. This typically involves an induction of labor to help coax your little one safely into the world.

And since Baby has been hanging out in your womb for so long, there’s a good chance that your little one might have some dry skin when they arrive because they’ve stayed in there after their protective layer of vernix has fallen away. But even with a little peeling skin, your baby will be 100% perfect.

What's new with you?

Waiting for Baby can be tough, especially when you’re past your due date — you could be feeling very ready to be done being pregnant and are probably really excited to finally meet your little love. As you wait, you’re probably still dealing with third trimester symptoms, but, thankfully, those will soon be a thing of the past after Baby arrives. Some more good news? Chances are your baby will join you outside the womb by the end of this week, as over 98% of babies are born before the 43rd week of gestation. And day now, Baby will be nestled in your arms, just where they should be! 


Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team, February 2021
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