How many weeks does a woman carry her baby?

On average, a woman carries her baby for about 40 weeks, or 9 months and one week. This is referred to as the gestational period. However, pregnancy lengths can vary from woman to woman and some babies may arrive preterm (before 37 weeks) or postterm (after 42 weeks). These durations serve as estimates, and pregnancies often progress within a range close to these time durations.