Fetal Development: Week 40
Size
Small pumpkin
Length
14.8 in (37.6 cm)
Weight
6.3 lb (2.85 kg)
Trimester
3rd
You've reached 40 weeks — the finish line! Your baby is the size of a small pumpkin and fully developed. The vernix coating has been mostly absorbed, and your baby is getting cozy until the big day.
Key milestone: Your baby is fully developed and ready for birth. The immune system has received antibodies from you. The vernix coating is mostly absorbed.
What's happening this week
At week 40, your baby measures 14.8 in (37.6 cm) and weighs approximately 6.3 lb (2.85 kg) — about the size of a Small pumpkin. In the final stretch, your baby is putting on weight and maturing vital systems in preparation for birth. This rapid growth is why tracking fetal development week by week is so exciting for expecting parents.
How to bond this week
Your baby recognizes your voice and may respond to it with movement. Keep talking, and let Baby Whispers add a daily voice note that sounds like your baby talking back.
Common questions about fetal development at week 40
Parents at week 40 often ask how their baby is developing and what to expect at the next prenatal visit. Your healthcare provider will monitor growth through fundal height measurements and ultrasounds. Meanwhile, tracking fetal development week by week helps you understand the incredible transformations happening inside.
Looking ahead: what changes at week 41
You've reached the final week of pregnancy. Your baby is fully developed and ready for birth. Any day now, you'll meet the little one who's been growing inside you for 40 incredible weeks. Baby Whispers evolves with each week too — our daily voice notes reflect your baby's changing world.
Prenatal Care at Week 40
Depending on where you are in your pregnancy, your prenatal appointments will focus on different aspects of care. Late-pregnancy appointments become more frequent — every 2-4 weeks until week 36, then weekly. Your provider will check the baby's position, your cervix, and discuss your birth plan and signs of labor.
Your baby at week 40 — the size of a Small pumpkin — is developing exactly as expected. Tracking fetal development week by week helps you feel connected to the incredible process unfolding inside you.
Hear your baby's voice at week 40
Imagine waking up to a voice note that sounds like your Small pumpkin-sized little one.
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