The shortest known gestation is that of the Virginian opossum, about 12 days, and the longest that of the Indian elephant, about 22 months.
Pregnancy lasts for about 280 days or 40 weeks. A preterm or premature baby is delivered before 37 weeks of your pregnancy. Extremely preterm infants are born 23 through 28 weeks. Moderately preterm infants are born between 29 and 33 weeks.
The longest pregnancy ever recorded was 375 days long (17 months). In comparison most women are pregnant for 280 days.
Pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last menstrual period. This means an extra 2 weeks are counted at the beginning of your pregnancy when you aren't actually pregnant. So pregnancy lasts 10 months (40 weeks)—not 9 months—because of these extra weeks.
Is a pregnancy 9 or 10 months? Your 40 weeks of pregnancy are counted as nine months. That's because each month (except February) is about 4.3 weeks long.
“It's highly unlikely that you would have a pregnancy that would go beyond 10 or 11 months. Highly unlikely…”
“A full-term pregnancy is 40 weeks long, which equals 10 months. Yet commonly, people talk about pregnancy as being nine months long.”
If the mother's period cycle is irregular, then the delivery of the baby might be delayed. In that case, pregnancy can go up to 10 months. In case this happens, we need to go back and check the mother's menstrual history.
At 20 weeks pregnant, you are five months along and halfway through your pregnancy. As your baby and uterus continue to grow, you might notice a change in your weight and your belly button.
Your baby, or foetus, is now around 22mm long from head to bottom, which is about the size of a strawberry. The face is looking more recognisable, with eyes protected by eyelids, a little mouth and even a tongue with tiny taste buds.
According to Guinness World Records, the heaviest baby on record was born in Aversa, Italy, in 1955. That baby boy was born weighing 22 pounds 8 ounces.
Between 41 weeks and 41 weeks and six days, a pregnancy is called late-term. When a pregnancy reaches 42 weeks and beyond, it's postterm. Late-term and postterm pregnancy can raise the risk of some health problems, including: Larger than average birth size (fetal macrosomia).
According to research, a woman can have somewhere around 15 to 30 babies in her lifetime.
Based on live births recorded in the National Survey of Family Growth, about 12% of first babies are born preterm, compared to 10% of other babies. And if “late” means after 40 weeks, first babies are more likely to be late: about 15%, compared to 10% of other babies.
A normal pregnancy lasts for about 40 weeks. Babies born after only 20 to 22 weeks are so small and fragile that they usually do not survive. Their lungs, heart and brain are not ready for them to live outside the womb. Some babies born later than 22 weeks also have only a very small chance of surviving.
Breast changes — growth, soreness, and darkening of the areola — usually continue. It's common to have shortness of breath or to breathe faster. Increased blood flow may lead to unpleasant pregnancy symptoms, such as bleeding gums, nosebleeds, or nasal stuffiness.
At 20 weeks pregnant, baby is the size of a banana. They weigh about 10.2 ounces and measure about 6.5 inches from crown to rump. (Starting next week, baby will be measured from head to toe.) Baby's still got a lot of growing to do but has an excellent start!
First Trimester (0 to 13 Weeks)
The first trimester is the most crucial to your baby's development. During this period, your baby's body structure and organ systems develop. Most miscarriages and birth defects occur during this period.
Most pregnancies last 37 to 42 weeks, but some take longer. If your pregnancy lasts more than 42 weeks, it is called post-term (past due). This happens in a small number of pregnancies. While there are some risks in a post-term pregnancy, most post-term babies are born healthy.
About half of first-time mothers will give birth by 40 weeks and 5 days after the first day of their last menstrual period, with the other half giving birth after that time point.
Month 6 of Pregnancy
By the end of the sixth month, your baby is about 12 inches long and weighs about 2 pounds. their skin is reddish in color, wrinkled, and veins are visible through the baby's translucent skin. Baby's finger and toe prints are visible. The eyelids begin to part and the eyes open.
Your baby's fingers and toes are growing longer, and the webs that had been between each finger and toe are starting to disappear. At the moment, your baby's eyes, eyelids, and ears are continuing to develop, but they've still got some growing to do before they're fully formed.
There is no evidence that such pregnancies exist, and doctors use the term cryptic pregnancy to describe cases where women don't realize they are pregnant, either for psychological or hormonal reasons.
There's no standard answer, but three months pregnant is often defined as covering week nine through week 12 or week 9 through week 13. At the end of this month, you'll be ready to begin the second trimester.
Not only is sperm safe, but there may be some benefits to having sex and contact with sperm before and during pregnancy: Sperm and vaginal sex can help induce labor when the time comes. Oxytocin, one of the key hormones involved in progressing labor, is released during sex, and orgasms mimic contractions.