39th obstetric week of pregnancy, hard belly. Factors that cause a feeling of hardness

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Many expectant mothers have a hard stomach at 39 weeks. Why does this happen? Some women think that labor is already beginning, others worry that something bad is happening to the baby. The answer in most situations is simple - these are training contractions.

At one point, the stomach turns to stone, becomes hard, a tight ring seems to surround the lower back. During pregnancy at 40 weeks, this can happen several times a day, so many people get scared and don’t know what it is and when it is necessary to go to the doctor.

What happens in the mother's body

Changes are constantly happening in the mother's body. If in the early stages the conditions for the growth and development of the fetus are being formed, then in the third trimester the female body begins to gradually prepare for birth.

Starting from the 39th week of pregnancy, almost everyone’s stomach turns to stone - why is this - expectant mothers begin to wonder, and when will the most important and long-awaited meeting with the baby take place?

Changes at 39 weeks of pregnancy

After 36 weeks, the pregnancy is considered full term, but most women give birth between 38 and 41 weeks. If at 39 weeks your stomach becomes stone , such a sign is a signal of the body’s readiness for the birth of a child, however, birth does not always occur on this day.

Often, pregnant women in late stages experience training contractions, during which:

a muscle spasm occurs and the stomach becomes hard;
pulls the lower back;
There is a nagging pain that encircles the abdomen.

A distinctive feature from the true ones can be considered the lack of periodicity of contractions, the intensity of the attacks does not increase, and the contractions are short in duration.

When the stomach often becomes stone at 39 weeks, it is necessary to monitor the contractions, note the time interval when they recur, as well as the duration of each period. Depending on the data received, you should decide whether to stay at home or go to the maternity hospital.

At 40 weeks

When you reach 40 weeks, you can expect that labor will begin at any moment, so you don’t need to ignore the condition when your stomach is hard or your lower back hurts. At this time, the female reproductive system is actively preparing for the birth of a baby: the cervix becomes more elastic, it shortens and acquires smooth contours.

At the 40th week of pregnancy, it can happen, which indicates the imminent onset of labor - usually it occurs within a week, while the pregnant woman experiences red-brown mucous discharge, the stomach often becomes hard, and a nagging discomfort occurs in the lower abdomen.

Why does my stomach become hard at 40 weeks? This happens due to false contractions. In this way, the body seems to check whether it is ready for such a complex and lengthy process as childbirth. If a woman is expecting the birth of her first child, then such contractions are often accompanied by anxiety or fear, because she does not know what will happen next. If it is, then the mother already knows the entire sequence of the process and tries to remain calm.

At 41 weeks

If the 41st week of pregnancy has already begun, and the long-awaited meeting with the baby still does not happen, although the expectant mother often has a hard stomach, you should not worry. After all, a baby is considered only after 42 weeks.

Mistakes often occur in calculating gestational age. The obstetric and physiological periods may differ by 2 weeks, since it is not always possible to accurately determine the day when conception occurred.

Pregnancy during this period is accompanied by the following phenomena:

sometimes the lower abdomen hurts, which may be accompanied by hardening;
discomfort in the perineum and hip joints;
mood swings;
removal of the plug, if this has not happened previously.

Possible complaints and problems

At the final stage of pregnancy, starting from 39 weeks, expectant mothers have a hard stomach, and this happens often.

At the same time, the woman points out various symptoms and discomfort conditions.:

Due to the fact that the uterus is greatly enlarged, it puts pressure on the large intestine, which causes flatulence.
Since the release of bile from the gallbladder is impaired, the pregnant woman indicates heaviness in the projection of the right hypochondrium. It doesn't hurt, but there is pressure in this area.
In the last weeks of pregnancy, especially 39-41, the expectant mother often has a hard stomach, which occurs due to hypertonicity of the uterine muscles.
The growing fetus puts pressure on the perineum and leads to expansion of the pelvic bones, which causes pain in the projection of the pubic symphysis.
Due to excessive overstretching of the skin, dryness occurs, and stretch marks often form.

If your stomach becomes hard during pregnancy at 40 weeks, you should not worry about it. Your body is already ready for the birth of a child, so this exciting event will happen very soon.

Why does my stomach turn to stone?

As a rule, unusual sensations in the abdomen appear when a woman is about to give birth. This is the main sign indicating the imminent birth of a baby, especially if the stomach becomes stiff and hurts at 40 weeks of pregnancy.

It should be noted that not only at the 39th and 40th week of pregnancy the belly becomes stone - this can happen at any period of gestation. Why is this happening?

There are several reasons:

Hypertonicity . The uterus consists of smooth muscle fibers, which tend to contract, resulting in a feeling of tension in the abdomen. This condition can occur due to overwork, stress, and sometimes women indicate that hypertonicity occurs after an obstetric examination.
Braxton Hicks contractions . When an expectant mother is expecting her first child, she may be frightened if her stomach turns to stone at 40 weeks of pregnancy and it is not clear what it is. Training contractions prepare the uterus and the entire body for a complex and lengthy process.

A pregnant woman at the end of the last trimester needs to listen to the signals that her body gives. If the lower abdomen is tight and turns to stone at 40 weeks, you need to note the beginning and end of contractions, as well as the duration of the intervals between them. If pain appears every 10 minutes, you need to urgently go to the maternity hospital.

How to relieve discomfort?

From the moment a pregnant woman begins to periodically feel training contractions and her stomach becomes hard at 39 weeks of pregnancy, the expectant mother begins to worry about the main question - when is the birth? Unfortunately, no doctor will give an exact answer, but you should understand that the expectant mother is reaching the finish line - an exciting event can happen any day.

When your stomach often becomes hard at 40 weeks, but labor still does not begin, you can reduce discomfort in the following ways:

if a false contraction occurs, you need to lie down and rest;
to relieve the feeling of a stone belly, you need to get on all fours and bend your back down, and then round it;
in case of severe pain, you can take a No-shpa tablet, which will relieve muscle spasms;
You cannot lie on your back for a long time and in the same position;
Do not lift heavy objects or overexert yourself.

In what cases should you urgently consult a doctor?

There are situations when it is necessary to urgently seek medical help.

This is best done for those whose stomach becomes stiff at 40 weeks of pregnancy, and the following symptoms are identified:

bleeding;
sudden hyperthermia;
dizziness followed by loss of consciousness;
no signs of the baby moving;
regular contractions with a break of 5-10 minutes.

Why does the stomach become stone at 40 weeks of pregnancy? This sign indicates that everything is ready for the birth of the child, and all that remains is to wait for this meeting. During contractions, try not to be nervous, think that soon you will see your baby for the first time.

Useful video about the last weeks of pregnancy and training contractions

Pregnancy is one of the most unforgettable periods in the life of every woman, and its last stages are very significant and exciting. It is at this moment that it is most important to monitor all changes and the emergence of new sensations that can indicate the correct or incorrect course of pregnancy.

In the penultimate week of pregnancy, any expectant mother already begins to mentally prepare for the meeting with the baby, listens especially carefully to all the changes, both significant and minor, occurring in her body, and a stone belly at 39 weeks can cause a lot of anxiety and fear. In order to understand the nature of the occurrence of this phenomenon, it is necessary to become more familiar with all the changes that occur during this period.

At 39 weeks of pregnancy, the baby is ready to be born. During this period, his motor activity decreases somewhat, since the child no longer has enough space for frisky somersaults and somersaults. His height at this time averages 50-54 centimeters, and weight, as a rule, varies from 3200 to 3400 grams, but this does not mean that deviation from these parameters is not the norm. In this matter, everything depends on the individual characteristics of the baby. At this time, his liver and kidneys are already sufficiently formed, but they will continue to develop during the first months of life. The baby's intestines are filled with meconium - original feces accumulated after swallowing amniotic fluid. The baby already has excellent vision, allowing him to see in the dark and focus his gaze at a distance of about 20 centimeters. During this period, the growth and development of the placenta slows down significantly and it begins to age. It is believed that it has already fulfilled its function. The baby's intrauterine development also slows down, since nutrients are now supplied in quantities necessary only to maintain his life. At the appointment, the doctor will definitely listen to the fetal heartbeat, and may also do an ultrasound to make sure that everything is fine with him. The gynecologist is obliged to examine the woman herself, in whose body certain changes have also occurred.

Starting from the 39th week of pregnancy, belly growth and weight gain stop. At this stage, the mucus plug may come off and the discharge from the genital tract may increase. The removal of the plug can only indicate that labor may begin very soon. After this, it is necessary to observe hygiene especially carefully and remember that under no circumstances should the possibility of infection of the fetus or microbes entering the fetus be allowed. During this period, the amount of amniotic fluid decreases, but there is still enough of it for the baby to be protected from external influences.

At 39 weeks of pregnancy, weight loss may occur. This becomes possible due to the removal of excess fluid and the creation of a certain hormonal background, namely a change in the amount of progesterone and estrogen, which contributes to the loss of several kilograms.

At the 39th week of pregnancy, an inevitable decrease in the fundus of the uterus occurs, due to which the abdomen prolapses and the woman feels much better. This will be a real relief for those who suffer from heartburn. But it is during this period that pain in the back and lower back causes particular inconvenience. This is not surprising, because the growing fetus creates a serious burden on the musculoskeletal system of the expectant mother. In this case, doctors recommend resting as much as possible, taking a horizontal position more often and getting enough sleep if possible. Water procedures also help well, but at this time it is better to limit yourself to taking a shower, especially if the mucus plug has already come off. It is not recommended to visit the pool during this period. In addition to these changes, there are also certain conditions that bring discomfort and anxiety.

Many women complain that their stomach becomes very hard. At 39 weeks this phenomenon is quite common. A hard belly at 39 weeks is sometimes a cause for serious concern for expectant mothers, who are truly frightened by it. But experts are rushing to convince them otherwise. In fact, this condition is more than natural and indicates how active the 39th week of pregnancy is. A hard belly is a sign of increased tone of the uterus and the beginning of its preparation for childbirth. It is at this time that training contractions intensify, which prepare the body for labor. Sometimes they can be so strong that they prevent you from sleeping at night. Gynecologists strongly advise women not to worry under any circumstances about how hard the belly becomes at 39 weeks. They assure that the threat of termination of pregnancy due to the tone of the uterus is already far behind and now this condition can only lead to childbirth, which is about to begin. Real contractions differ from training contractions primarily in their duration and frequency. If you suspect the onset of labor, you can turn on the contraction, which is likely to confirm or refute these guesses. When it is confirmed that the labor mechanism has begun, you need to take a shower, get ready and go to the maternity hospital, accompanied by a close relative, or call the phone and call an ambulance team.

Childbirth at 39 weeks is not premature and is considered urgent. Therefore, if signs of the onset of labor occur, you should not panic, since this is considered a completely natural phenomenon that can complete the pregnancy quite physiologically.

So, experts talked about how the 39th week of pregnancy should actually proceed. The stomach becomes stone, as it turns out, due to the increased tone of the uterus; at such a late stage, this should not cause any concern, but can only be a signal of an approaching meeting with the baby.