At 36 weeks pregnant, you're officially nine months along. Yes, you read that right. While you'll commonly hear references to the "nine months of pregnancy," in reality, full term is closer to 10 months (and sometimes a little more) when all is said and done.
By 36 weeks, your baby's lungs are fully formed and ready to take their first breath after the birth. The digestive system is fully developed and your baby will be able to feed if they're born now.
Most pregnancies last about 40 weeks. Babies born between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy are called “full term.” Babies born between 34 and 36 full weeks of pregnancy are called “late preterm” babies.
Weeks 34-36: At the end of week 36, you will be nine months pregnant. Your baby will go through some final development, such as skin smoothing out and fully growing out their nails. Weeks 37-40: You're at the home stretch!
Pregnancy lasts an average of 40 weeks (usually between 38 and 42 weeks). A premature birth is when a baby is born before 37 weeks. So a baby born at 36 weeks and 6 days is officially premature.
Most infants born at 36 and 37 weeks' gestation are mature enough to go home from the hospital. But babies born earlier may need care in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), where they can be: Watched closely for infections and changes in breathing and heart rate.
Avoid toxoplasmosis.
Wash your hands after you touch raw meat. Make sure any meat is well-cooked before you eat it. Avoid raw eggs and unpasteurized milk. Use gloves or ask someone else to clean your cat's litter box while you are pregnant.
Highlights at 36 Weeks Pregnant
Your little baby is about the size of a head of romaine lettuce. They're still gaining fat around 36 weeks, but it's likely they've just about finished growing in length. Around 36 weeks, you may feel your baby drop lower as they settle into your pelvis.
Between 36 and 37 weeks, your practitioner will swab your vagina and rectum to check for a common infection called group B strep. If your test is positive, you'll be given antibiotics during labor to help keep you from passing it on to your baby.
Babies born early (called premature babies) may have more health problems at birth and later in life than babies born on time. This is why it's important to wait until at least 39 weeks to induce labor. If your pregnancy is healthy, it's best to let labor begin on its own.
The average newborn weight of a full-term baby is about 7.5 pounds, depending on race and ethnicity. But late preterm babies born between 34 and 36 weeks may weigh less than 5.5 pounds, which is considered low birth weight.
Depending on your health and your baby's health, scheduling your baby's birth may be best. But scheduling birth a little early for non-medical reasons can cause problems for you and baby. If your pregnancy is healthy, it's best to stay pregnant for at least 39 weeks and wait for labor to begin on its own.
As long as you're between 34 and 37 weeks and the baby already is at least 5 pounds, 8 ounces, your healthcare provider may decide not to delay labor.
Some women may develop pelvic pain in pregnancy. This is sometimes called pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD). PGP is a collection of uncomfortable symptoms caused by a stiffness of your pelvic joints or the joints moving unevenly at either the back or front of your pelvis.
Baby dropping signs and symptoms
You need to urinate even more often than before because of increased pressure on your bladder. You have increasing discomfort when you walk. (You may waddle.) You may have back pain as your baby puts increased pressure on the muscles and joints in your lower back.
Ultrasound examination at 35 to 37 weeks may reveal fetal anomalies that could not be observed in earlier ultrasounds, according to research recently published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology.
A baby born at 36 weeks of gestation is considered to be preterm. Although there are still risks associated with giving birth at 36 weeks, most babies have a very good prognosis.
In some cases, labor's induced before the fetus reaches term. This typically happens when there's a medical reason for delivery. Examples could be preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), placental abruption or the fetus isn't growing (fetal growth restriction).
You at 36 weeks pregnant
If your baby's head has 'engaged' (entered the pelvic cavity), you might be feeling more pressure lower down in your pelvis. You might even feel baby's head putting pressure on your cervix, which can be quite uncomfortable. You'll probably need to go to the toilet even more often.
Your growing belly and baby often cause a sensation of stomach tightening late in pregnancy. At this point, your uterus is crowding your internal organs and pushing up against your abdominal wall. If the tightening sensation isn't painful, but comes and goes, you may be having Braxton Hicks contractions.
Some women may choose to have their labor induced rather than wait to go into labor on their own, even if they do not have any medical problems -this is called an elective induction of labor.
Therefore, labor induction or planned cesarean surgery should never be used before 39 weeks unless there is a clear medical reason.