Your baby at 38 weeks
The baby continues gaining weight. The lungs and brain are still developing.
Some of the fine body hair and skin coating may begin to lessen. Movements should continue as usual.
TRIMESTER 3 · WEEK 38
38 weeks pregnant
The meeting is getting closer.
What to expect at 38 weeks pregnant: your baby, your symptoms and this week’s reminders.
Symptoms at 38 weeks pregnant
- You may feel more pressure in the pelvis.
- Backache or tiredness may occur.
- Irregular contractions may become more noticeable.
None of these symptoms is required. Symptoms alone cannot diagnose pregnancy or establish your baby’s wellbeing.
Keep monitoring the usual movement pattern and contact your team promptly if it changes.
Source for this week: NHS — Week 38
Measurement note: early lengths are head-to-bottom; from week 20 they are head-to-heel. The numbers across that change should not be compared as if the measurement method were the same.
YOUR WEEK, YOUR JOURNEY
Explore another pregnancy week
Choose a week to explore your baby’s development and changes you may notice.
01 · FIRST TRIMESTERSmall beginnings
02 · SECOND TRIMESTERA growing connection
03 · THIRD TRIMESTERGetting closer to meeting
Sources and content note
This is source-based general information, not a substitute for a clinical assessment or individual care plan. The presence, absence or change of symptoms alone cannot establish pregnancy wellbeing. This content is not a personalised care plan reviewed by a healthcare professional.
This guide groups weeks 1–13 in the first trimester, 14–27 in the second, and 28 onwards in the third. Weeks refer to gestational age dated from the last menstrual period; clinical dating may differ.
- NHS — Pregnancy week by week
- ACOG — Fetal development and gestational age
- NHS — Your baby’s movements
- NHS — Pregnancy symptoms
Sources checked: 31 October 2026 · Illustrations are AI-generated conceptual drawings, not ultrasound or diagnostic images.