You'll see your doctor on a weekly basis now until you deliver. Unless you are scheduled for a planned cesarean, your provider will probably perform an internal exam with each visit to check your cervix for changes that indicate approaching labor.

Tests This Month

The CDC recommends that your provider administer a group B strep (GBS) test at weeks 35 to 37. This culture is performed by swabbing a fluid sample from both your vagina and rectum. If the cultured fluid comes back positive for GBS, you may have intravenous antibiotics administered during delivery to prevent group B strep bacteria transmission to the baby.

Checking Your Cervix

Your provider will be checking your cervix for signs that it is preparing for your baby's passage. She'll also be taking note of any descent or dropping of the baby toward the pelvis, called the station. Take the numbers you hear with a grain of salt, however. Although you may start effacing and dilating now, it's still anyone's guess as to when labor will begin, and it could be a few more weeks yet.