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Know Your Terms: Moms-to-be - NCMHEP | NICHD - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" dir="ltr" prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns#"> <head> <!-- Google Tag Manager --> <script>(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K48GLSS');</script> <!-- End Google Tag Manager --> <meta charset="utf-8" /> <meta name="description" content=""Full Term" Has a New Meaning The meaning of "term" pregnancy has changed. "Term" has been replaced by more specific definitions that communicate the importance of the last few weeks of pregnancy for infant development. Learn why the term pregnancy definitions are important to promoting the best outcomes for mom and baby. "Full Term" Starts at 39 Weeks The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine announced more specific definitions to describe babies born between 37 weeks and 42 weeks of pregnancy." /> <meta name="NICHDGoogleSortDate" content="06/02/2022 12:00:00 AM" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/ncmhep/initiatives/know-your-terms/moms" /> <meta property="og:site_name" content="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/ncmhep/initiatives/know-your-terms/moms" /> <meta property="og:title" content="Know Your Terms: Moms-to-be - NCMHEP" /> <meta property="og:description" content=""Full Term" Has a New Meaning The meaning of "term" pregnancy has changed. "Term" has been replaced by more specific definitions that communicate the importance of the last few weeks of pregnancy for infant development. Learn why the term pregnancy definitions are important to promoting the best outcomes for mom and baby. "Full Term" Starts at 39 Weeks The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine announced more specific definitions to describe babies born between 37 weeks and 42 weeks of pregnancy." /> <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2019-08/hero-know-your-terms.png" /> <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:title" content="Know Your Terms: Moms-to-be - NCMHEP" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content=""Full Term" Has a New Meaning The meaning of "term" pregnancy has changed. "Term" has been replaced by more specific definitions that communicate the importance of the last few weeks of pregnancy for infant development. Learn why the term pregnancy definitions are important to promoting the best outcomes for mom and baby. "Full Term" Starts at 39 Weeks The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine announced more specific definitions to describe babies born between 37 weeks and 42 weeks of pregnancy." /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@NICHD_NIH" /> <meta name="twitter:url" content="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/ncmhep/initiatives/know-your-terms/moms" /> <meta name="twitter:image:alt" content="Young girl kisses her mother’s pregnant belly" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2019-08/hero-know-your-terms.png" /> <meta name="Generator" content="Drupal 10 (https://www.drupal.org); Commerce 2" /> <meta name="MobileOptimized" content="width" /> <meta name="HandheldFriendly" content="true" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="icon" href="/themes/custom/uswds_nichd/img/favicon.ico" type="image/vnd.microsoft.icon" /> <title>Know Your Terms: Moms-to-be - NCMHEP 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</div> </section> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grid-row grid-gap"> <div class="tablet:grid-col-8 region-content"> <a id="main-content" tabindex="-1"></a> <a id="main-content"></a> <!-- googleon: index --> <div class="region region-content"> <div data-drupal-messages-fallback class="hidden"></div> <h1 id="block-nichd-ncm-page-display-title" class="page-header">Moms-to-be</h1> <div id="block-mobile-related-external-spn-url" class="block block-ctools-block block-entity-field:node:field-related-spn-url display-block tablet:display-none"> <div class="button-wrapper usa-button"> <a lang="es" class="button-link" aria-label="Visita esta página en español" href="https://espanol.nichd.nih.gov/actividades-proyectos/know-your-terms">En Español</a> <svg class="usa-icon" aria-hidden="true" focusable="false" role="img"> <use xlink:href="/themes/custom/uswds_nichd/assets/img/sprite.svg#arrow_forward"></use> </svg> </div> </div> <div id="block-nichd-ncm-content" class="block block-system block-system-main-block"> <article data-history-node-id="861971"> <div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><h2>"Full Term" Has a New Meaning</h2> <p>The meaning of "term" pregnancy has changed. "Term" has been replaced by more specific definitions that communicate the importance of the last few weeks of pregnancy for infant development. Learn why the term pregnancy definitions are important to promoting the best outcomes for mom and baby.</p> <h3>"Full Term" Starts at 39 Weeks</h3> <p>The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine announced more specific definitions to describe babies born between 37 weeks and 42 weeks of pregnancy.</p> <p>In the past, a baby born anytime between 37 weeks and 42 weeks was considered "term." <strong>A pregnancy is now considered "full term" at 39 weeks.</strong></p> <p><strong><img class="img-fluid" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/pregnancy-chart.png" data-entity-uuid="29641e09-6e80-48f5-9352-677e00a68d9c" data-entity-type="file" alt="Early term is 37 weeks through 38 weeks and 6 days. Full term is 39 weeks through 40 weeks and 6 days. Late term is 41 weeks through 41 weeks and 6 days. Postterm is 42 weeks and beyond" width="1610" height="759" loading="lazy"></strong></p> <h3>Why does this matter?</h3> <p>Research shows that babies do best when they are born during weeks 39 and 40.</p> <p>Babies born before 39 weeks are at risk for problems with breathing, feeding, and controlling their temperature. They are also more likely to spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit, develop infections, and have a learning disability.</p> <h3>What does this mean for my pregnancy?</h3> <p>Waiting to deliver until at least 39 weeks, in a healthy pregnancy, gives your baby the time he or she needs to grow. Your baby's lungs, liver, and brain go through a crucial period of growth between 37 weeks and 39 weeks of pregnancy. Waiting until 39 weeks, now called "full term," gives your baby the best possible chance for a healthy start in life. </p> <p>There may be a time, if there is a health risk to the mother or baby, when a planned delivery before 39 weeks is necessary. But in a healthy pregnancy, it's best to wait until at least 39 weeks.</p> <p>It is important to know these terms so you and your health care provider can talk about what is best for the health of you and your baby.</p> <h3>Video: Term Talk</h3> <p><iframe style="height:315px;width:100%;" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8gsdg7_wBcE" title="Term Talk"></iframe></p> <p><a class="usa-button usa-button-primary ncmhep_btn" href="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8gsdg7_wBcE" aria-label="View Term Talk video on YouTube">View on YouTube</a><a href="/external-disclaimer" aria-label="(Link is external)" tabindex="0" target="_blank" title="(Link is external)"> <img class="data-external" src="/themes/custom/nichd/images/externallink.svg" alt="external link" width="23" height="19" loading="lazy"></a> <a class="usa-button usa-button-primary ncmhep_btn" href="/ncmhep/initiatives/know-your-terms/transcripts/termtalktextalt" aria-label="View Term Talk video text alternative">Text Alternative</a></p> <h2 class="text-center">Other Program Initiatives</h2> <div class="usa-card-group"><div class="tablet:grid-col-6 mobile-lg:grid-col-12 grid-col-12 usa-card"><div data-entity-type="nichd_cards" data-entity-uuid="04a49830-82fe-45c0-8c44-b931447cdf48" data-embed-button="nichd_cards_embed_btn" data-entity-embed-display="view_mode:nichd_cards.cards" data-langcode="en" data-entity-embed-display-settings="[]" class="embedded-entity"><div class="usa-card"> <div class="usa-card__container"> <div class="usa-card__header"> <h2 class="usa-card__heading"> <a class="stretched-link" href="/ncmhep/initiatives/moms-mental-health-matters"> Depression and Anxiety Around Pregnancy </a> </h2> </div> <div class="usa-card__media"> <div class="usa-card__img"> <div class="field field--name-field-card-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="/sites/default/files/2019-09/heromoms-mental-health-matters_0.png" width="1001" height="359" alt="Moms’ Mental Health Matters"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="usa-card__body"> <p>Depression and anxiety can happen during pregnancy or after birth. 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