Term Talk
Doctor says to pregnant woman: “You look great and you're now at 37 weeks.”
Woman: “That means I'm full term, right?”
Doctor: “Actually the pregnancy terms have changed. Babies born at 37 and 38 weeks are now called early term, while babies born between 39 and 41 weeks are full term.”
Woman: “Why did it change? Isn't he just getting fatter those last few weeks?”
Doctor: “Research now shows that baby's brain, lungs, and liver continue developing in the womb between 38 and 39 weeks.”
Woman says to her belly: “Sounds like you have some work to do in there over the next couple weeks.”
Learn the Terms for the Home Stretch.
www.nichd.nih.gov/KnowYourTerms.
Graphics: NCMHEP, HHS, NIH, and NICHD logos.
BACK TO TOP