can babies be born at 40 weeks
Pregnancy normally lasts about 40 weeks. A baby born 3 or more weeks early is premature. Babies who are born closer to their due dates tend to have fewer problems than babies born earlier. But even those who are born late preterm (closer to 37 weeks) are at risk for problems.
Babies Born Between 39 and 41 Weeks of Pregnancy May Do Better Than Babies Born a Few Weeks Earlier. By Denise Mann. WebMD Health News. Reviewed by Laura J. Martin, MD. May 23, 2011 -- Babies born between 39 and 41 weeks of pregnancy fare better than infants born during weeks 37 or 38, a study shows. A term birth is considered 37 to 41 weeks, but the new study suggests it is more of a continuum. The findings appear in Obstetrics & Gynecology.