41^{st week}: The due date is here

Weeks and days: 40+0 to 40+6
Month: 10
Trimester: 3

The 41st week of pregnancy begins with the calculated due date, 40+0; from 40+1, this is called going past the due date. Most babies now weigh 3 to 4 kilograms. From the due date, you are monitored more closely, and an induction can be offered from 41+0.

3 to 4 kghow heavy most babies are this week

Week 41, past the due date

Calculate your week

1st trimester2nd trimester3rd trimester

How big and how heavy is the fetus?

352 to 360 mm

At the start of the week, the fetus weighs on average about 3,620 grams. Most babies weigh between 3,000 and 4,000 grams at birth. From head to heel, the fetus measures about 50 centimeters by the end of the week.

Crown-rump length according to the values from Archie et al. 2006, weight according to the WHO growth charts. The WHO charts end at 40+0.

This week

Your baby

Space is getting tight, but the baby should keep moving in its usual pattern. If the movements become fewer, call the labor ward right away. Someone is available there around the clock.
The rapid growth phase is coming to an end. The baby is mature enough to cope outside the uterus without help.
Babies born after the due date often have red, dry, peeling skin because the vernix is missing. Do not put cream on it, as this can make it worse.

Your body

The waiting wears many down. The due date in your maternity record (Mutterpass) is only a statistical calculation.
Real contractions hurt when your belly becomes hard. The pain eases when the muscles relax again.
Why a pregnancy lasts longer is usually unknown. Sometimes it runs in the family.

What matters now

From 40+0, the guideline for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland provides for closer monitoring, giving every 3 to 5 days as an example. CTG and ultrasound are usual.
From 41+0, an induction can be offered; from 41+3, it should be recommended. From 42+0, it is strongly recommended.
Before an induction, you must be informed in detail about the advantages and disadvantages, and you must consent. The due date is often checked again beforehand.

Get checked right away: bleeding from the vagina, greenish or foul-smelling amniotic fluid, fewer baby movements than usual, a contraction that lasts longer than 2 minutes, fever above 37.5°C, severe headache, or vision problems.

On ultrasound

40+0
Head circumference is on average about 342 mm.
40+0
Abdominal circumference measures on average about 363 mm.
40+0
Amniotic fluid volume and growth show, from the due date on, whether the placenta is still supplying the baby well.

The maternity guidelines (Mutterschafts-Richtlinien) in Germany do not specify a fixed interval for checkups after the due date.

Frequently asked questions about the 41st week of pregnancy

No signs of labor in the 41st week of pregnancy: is that normal?

Yes. Only about 5 out of 100 babies are born exactly on the due date. From 42+0, only about 5 out of 1,000 babies are born in Germany.

When is labor induced in the 41st week of pregnancy?

Usually not yet. Induction is offered from 41+0, that is, from next week. This week, it is an option if there are medical reasons or if you expressly wish it. In Germany, almost one in four births is induced.

How often do I need checkups after the due date?

The information differs. The guideline gives every 3 to 5 days as an example, familienplanung.de every 2 to 3 days, and the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) about 2 appointments per week. Your practice or hospital sets the exact schedule.

Which is better: inducing or waiting?

IQWiG compared women without particular risks. With an induction in the 42nd week of pregnancy, 120 out of 1,000 babies were born by cesarean section; when waiting until 42+0, it was 130. During or shortly after the birth, 1 in 1,000 babies died after induction, compared with 3 in 1,000 when waiting.

Sources

Updated on 31 October 2026 · Fertilio Editorial Team