Using Date Of Conception
The window for conception ranges from a few days before ovulation to a few days after. A typical menstrual cycle of 28 days means you ovulated around day 14. So if you know the exact date of conception, count 266 days to get your due datebut, of course, understand that baby might actually arrive a few days before or after, says Skeete Henry.
Counting from date of conception isnt always the most precise method for determining how far along you are, since its often difficult to know, with absolute certainty, when you actually conceived. Were not just talking about the day you had sex sperm can live inside your fallopian tubes for up to five days, so its possible to conceive up to five days after intercourse.
Why You Feel Pregnant
It can be fairly common to experience some physical symptoms as you enter into what many people call the two-week wait, the period of time between when you ovulate and when you expect your period. These symptoms can include:
- Breast soreness
- Mood swings
- Nausea and/or changes in appetite
While all of the symptoms could be pregnancy symptoms, they are more likely explained by either fluctuation in your hormones due to your menstrual cycle, or by other events in your life. These events can include illness, stress, or even something as simple as not enough sleep or too much exercise.
Some women will experience premenstrual syndrome symptoms as pregnancy symptoms, where other women do not typically have these symptoms every cycle.
When you experience a symptom that is not common to your cycle, it may be easily confused with a potential pregnancy.
To help relieve focusing on these symptoms, you can take positive steps for your physical and emotional health. Eating nutritious foods, not smoking, and limiting or avoiding alcohol will promote your health and wellness whether or not it turns out you are pregnant.
Using Last Menstrual Period
To figure out your due date, count 280 days, or 40 weeks, from the first day of your last period . The LMP method works best for women who have a consistent period with a regular cycle, says Delisa Skeete Henry, MD, an ob-gyn with Serene Health OB/GYN & Wellness in Fort Lauderdale, Floridaand by that she means a cycle ranging from 28 to 38 days. Your estimate can then be refined with what the doctor learns from your pelvic exam. Thats because a typical uterusone without fibroids or massestends to be certain sizes at certain points in pregnancy. The result is accurate plus or minus seven days, Ruiz says.
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Some Tips On Pregnancy Testing At Home
Because early pregnancy symptoms can be confused with other illnesses or conditions, I would always recommend buying yourself a test. These are very accurate from the point that your period is due, and will take the guesswork out of knowing if you are pregnant or not.
For those who have missed a period and got a negative pregnancy test result, follow the link to learn about the most common reasons behind this.
If you keep getting negative results but are experiencing pregnancy symptoms, listen to your body and make a doctor’s appointment!
How Do Your Due Date Charts Work
The due date charts show possible due dates based upon data from a birth survey carried out by Spacefem.com. The survey relied upon correct information being input by each of the 9,000+ Mums who took part it was not a scientific study. It’s important to remember that your birth date probability will vary based upon many factors, including your age, health, ethnic origin and whether you’ve given birth before.
If you have any problems using this pregnancy calculator, please contact me.
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Role Of Fundal Height
Your midwife or doctor may measure your fundal height at your pregnancy well-checks. The fundal height is the measurement in centimeters from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus. It should grow at a predictable rate as your pregnancy continues.
After 20 weeks, your fundal height in centimeters will typically be the same as the number of weeks you are pregnant. In other words, at 21 weeks pregnant, your fundal height should be around 21 centimeters .
Sometimes, the fundal height won’t match perfectly. Slight variations are normal, but if you are measuring much smaller or larger than expected, your primary care provider may want to investigate with another ultrasound.
While useful, the fundal height is not an accurate measurement of gestational age and would not affect the estimated due date in any way.
Calculating From Your Period
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How Many Weeks Pregnant Am I How Far Along You Are
Youve just found out youre pregnant so, naturally, one of the first things youll be wondering is how many weeks pregnant am I?!
Its important to understand that a due date is calculated using a simple formula based on averages.
Not your own unique body, exactly when your baby was conceived.
So that magic, exciting due date wont be totally accurate, but itll be close.
To find out how many weeks you are, use our pregnancy calculator. Youll need to know the first day of your last menstrual period.
Whats The Most Accurate Way To Date A Pregnancy
Going back to the hypothetical scenario above, its easy to see why the most accurate method for calculating how far along you are would be by implantation. Heres the catch: Its very hard to know when implantation occurs with certaintyeven if you know when you ovulated.
After conception , the fertilized egg travels from the fallopian tubes into the uterus. Compared to the tiny blastocyst, the uterus is huge! There are many places for the blastocyst to implant, and it can implant in the upper area of your uterus or it may take the longer route to the lower area.
Because of the time it takes to travel to the implantation location, most experts agree that implantation occurs about nine days after conception, but it can range from as early as six days to as late as 12 days after conception.
There is good news though! While there is no test to determine exactly what day implantation occurred, your body may give you hints that implantation has occurred:
- Implantation cramps: This may feel like regular menstrual cramps, but without the menstrual flow.
- Implantation bleeding: Unlike your period, this is more of a spotting than a full bleed.
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Other Reasons For Missing Your Period
Here are some possible reasons for missing your period but having negative pregnancy tests:
- Menopause
- Starting a new birth control method
- Illness
- Hormone imbalance
If you suspect one of these reasons may be disrupting your normal menstrual cycle, and you have a negative pregnancy, test then you should speak to a health professional.
Pros Of Blood Testing
- Blood tests can detect pregnancy earlier than a home pregnancy test, about 6 to 8 days after ovulation, or about 7 – 12 days after possible conception .
- This could mean that you get a result as early as 9 days after possible conception, or 5 days earlier than a home pregnancy test would be able to detect .
For most women, it makes more sense to wait and do a pregnancy test at home because of its convenience and low cost, as well as the fact that you’d only find out a day or two earlier with a blood test .
For others, especially those with a high risk for miscarriage or other pregnancy complications, their doctor may recommend getting a blood test.
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Disclaimer About The Calculator
Our calculator strives for the highest accuracy, but your pregnancy progress may differ from the calculator’s results for several reasons including possible miscalculation errors in input data individual variations in the timing of ovulation, and/or conception.
The information provided regarding pregnancy progress and fetal development is a guide through the weeks. It is not specific information for a specific individual but serves as a general guide only. As each pregnancy differs, any dates, weights, and lengths should be considered general information for interest only.
Our week-by-week guides use both standard and metric units of measure including pounds and kilograms.
Why Due Dates Are So Hard To Predict
There are a bunch of reasons as to why its so hard to predict when baby will be born. Lets start with the most basic: Soon-to-be-moms often count nine months ahead, but pregnancy is typically 40 weeks from the first day of your last period, which is, of course, more like 10 months.
Another concept to understand when figuring out due dates is that theres no such thing as a firm date for when baby will actually arrive. Even what your doctor tells you is simply an estimate. After all, every pregnancy is different. Some babies, as if eager to greet you, arrive early others take their time and enter late, on their own terms.
Gauging the size of your bump probably wont help much either. For instance, when it isnt your first pregnancy, your bump may show a bit faster than it did the first time around. The growth in the abdomen is much quicker, says Jessica Shepherd, MD, an ob-gyn and womens health expert. Your abdominal and uterine muscles are looser now, since they stretched during your first pregnancy. Plus, your uterus doesnt return to its original pre-pregnancy size after baby number 1, giving your body a head start. So, youll likely pop earlier.
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How Long Does It Take Hcg Levels To Be Detected By Home Pregnancy Tests
Pregnancy doesn’t necessarily start the day that two people have sex. An egg can be fertilized by sperm up to six days after intercourse.5 And then, it can take between six and ten days for the egg to implant itself in the uterus.
The hormone that home pregnancy tests look for starts being released from when the fertilized egg implants itself, which is why you have to wait for them to be effective.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, HCG is made by cells formed in the placenta, which nourishes the egg after it is has implanted itself in the wall of the uterus.4
Levels of HCG can be detected by two kinds of tests:5
- Blood testâaccurate as early as 11 days after conception
- Urine testâaccurate as early as 12 to 14 days after conception
So, if you don’t know when your period is supposed to start and you think you might be pregnant, you should test about two weeks after you had sex and possibly conceived.5
If it’s negative and your period still hasn’t come and you still think you might be pregnant, test again in another week.
Can You Feel Pregnancy Symptoms Soon After Sex
While some pregnancy symptoms start very early, most of the time, you won’t notice anything right away. Anything that happens immediately after having sex, like spotting or increased discharge, is usually not related to pregnancy.
Other than a missed period, pregnancy symptoms tend to really kick in around week five or six of pregnancy. One 2018 study of 458 women found that 72% detected their pregnancy by the sixth week after their last menstrual period. Symptoms tend to develop abruptly.
This is about two weeks from when you missed your last period . Occasionally you will hear of someone who has symptoms right around their first missed period.
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Why Is The Ultrasound Method So Useful In Calculating How Many Weeks Pregnant You Are
Healthy embryos grow at a very predictable rate in the first trimester, so the crown to rump measurement can provide a more accurate estimate as to how many weeks pregnant you are. Crown to rump refers to the distance between the head to the end of babys bottom . When dating ultrasounds are done before the 13th week of pregnancy, their accuracy is +/- five to seven days. In the second trimester that jumps up to +/- seven to 10 days.
The above image depicts an early ultrasound used for dating purposes.
If you get an official due date from your dating ultrasound, you can use our reverse due date calculator to see when you likely conceived, then youll have a much better answer for how many weeks pregnant am I.
When Did I Conceive
Are you pregnant but not sure exactly when you conceived? An ultrasound is the most accurate way to determine how far along your pregnancy is. Ultrasound exams provide images and include various measurements of your developing baby that can help estimate how many weeks pregnant you are and your approximate conception date. If you are making a pregnancy decision and want to learn more about your pregnancy and your options, call to see if you qualify for a free ultrasound.
Due Date Calculator
Please select the first day of you last period
You last period date:
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Why Is It Important To Know Your Exact Pregnancy Week
How far along you are determines nearly everything in your pregnancy including blood tests, ultrasound examinations, and more importantly when you can expect your baby to be born. It also helps you identify certain situations to learn what is normal and when to have procedures done. What is normal at 26 weeks may not be normal at 32 weeks. Also, tests that should be done at 20 weeks but are done at 16 weeks could be interpreted incorrectly.
What Is My Due Date
Your due date, also known as your estimated date of delivery, is the approximate date your labor might begin. Your estimated due date is commonly calculated by adding 280 days to the date of the first day of your last period, using Naegeles rule. This may vary if you have irregular periods.
It’s worth noting that although predicted due dates are commonly calculated at 280 days, a baby is born on its predicted due date just 4% of the time. . A 2020 study published in the International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology suggests a number of factors that can influence the length of your pregnancy, including ethnicity, height, variations in the menstrual cycle, the timing of ovulation, parity and maternal weight. It is for this reason that calculations using Naegeles rule can be considered as an estimate and not a definitive date.
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How Can You Tell If You’re Pregnant
Answering the burning question of whether you are pregnant or not can be easy or difficult depending on how far along you are and how well you know your own body.
Many women can tell if they are pregnant within two or three weeks of conceiving, and some women know a lot sooner, even within a few days. It really depends on your ability to pick up on the changes occurring within your body and how sensitive you are to them.
Of course, you’ll definitely be able to find out for sure once you have missed your first period by doing a pregnancy test . Don’t be tempted to take a pregnancy test too early, though. Doing so can increase your chances of getting an inaccurate result or maybe a faint pregnancy test line.
Successful Implantation What Is Implantation Bleeding
Once it finds a nice and cushy spot, it burrows into the lining of the uterus, hopefully for the next 9 months!
This is .
Signs Of Implantation:
Some women experience light spotting at the time of implantation, but most women do not know when a blastocyst has implanted.
Implantation of the blastocyst usually happens between 7 and 10 days after ovulation, or 21 to 25 days after the first day of your *last menstrual cycle* .
The blastocyst cells continue to divide, and start to separate into two groups: one to form the baby and one to form the placenta to nourish the baby.
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You Missed Your Period
You should take a pregnancy test. If it’s positive, you’re pregnant. If it’s negative, wait a few more days and retest. If it’s another negative, you’re still not experiencing any symptoms of pregnancy, and you’re sure you’re taking the test correctly, then you’re probably not pregnant and you’ve missed your period for another reason.
