Re:I am 38 weeks and my weight has not changed for 4 weeks, should I worry?
It is not uncommon for you to stop gaining weight at the end of the pregnancy and to just stay the same. If you and your doctor are worried, however, you can have an ultrasound which can check to see if the fluid is enough in the uterus and to make sure that the placenta is still functioning well. It can also give you an idea of the baby’s weight.
In some conditions, the placenta gives out before the labor starts and the amniotic fluid goes down and the baby actually loses weight inside of you. This can be picked up during an ultrasound. A non-stress test can be done as well which can tell if the baby is happy inside the uterus or if it is suffering from some kind of fetal distress or is just not moving around very much.
If the ultrasound shows the placenta is giving out or there is less fluid than expected inside the uterus, you may have to be delivered immediately. It can be a vaginal delivery and doesn’t have to be a cesarean section unless the baby does not tolerate contractions during the induction. It should be remembered that this isn’t as common as just not gaining weight in the latter part of pregnancy. The lack of weight gain can come from less fluid on the body which often weighs several pounds.
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