As the lungs are the last organs to fully develop, it is vital to delay delivery until such time that the baby is fully prepared to adjust to the outside environment. There are not many changes on week 38, but you may want to focus more on your baby’s lungs.

This is because it takes time for the lungs to produce surfactant, a vital substance responsible for expanding the lungs. Surfactant prevents the tiny air sacs within the lungs from sticking to one another, promoting exchange of oxygen.

This is also the reason why, for preterm labor and delivery, mothers are given the steroid dexamethasone around 24 hours before actual birth, as this will help the lungs mature fast.