How Was The Length Of Pregnancy Defined In The Past
In the past, a pregnancy that lasted anywhere between 37 to 42 weeks was called a term pregnancy. Health care providers once thought this 5-week period was a safe time for most babies to be born. In 2013, ACOG and SMFM updated the definitions for term pregnancies because research shows that every week of pregnancy counts for the health of your baby. Lots of important things happen to your baby in the last few weeks of pregnancy. For example, your baby’s brain and lungs are still developing. Being pregnant for at least 39 weeks gives your babys body the time it needs to grow and develop.
These definitions can help more babies be born healthy by helping to prevent births that are being scheduled a little early for non-medical reasons. If your pregnancy is healthy, wait for labor to begin on its own.
When Should You Call A Doctor Or Midwife During Pregnancy
If a woman suspects that she may be pregnant or if she has a positive home pregnancy test, she should make an appointment with a health-care professional, which could be a doctor, an obstetrician , a family physician, a midwife, or a nurse practitioner. Early prenatal care is essential to insure a favorable pregnancy outcome.
A woman who is pregnant should call her healthcare professional if any of the following conditions develop:
- Labor or rupture of membranes
- Serious abdominal or vaginal pain
- Severe leg or chest pain
Go to your nearest Emergency Department if you have any of these symptoms:
- Vaginal bleeding through more than one pad per hour
- Having severe pain in the abdomen or shoulder or severe dizziness
- Passing pink, gray, or white material from the vagina that does not look like a blood clot
- Having a bloody discharge or gush of fluid from the vagina during late pregnancy .
- Seizure activity but without a history of epilepsy .
- Having an injury, such as a fall, a blow to the stomach or pelvis, or a car accident
Lower abdominal pain late in pregnancy may indicate the onset of labor. Labor pains occur secondary to uterine contractions. A patient may attempt consumption of clear liquids or lie on her left side for a short time to determine if the contractions will resolve spontaneously. If the pain persists, her health care provider should be notified.
What Factors Can Increase The Risk Of Stillbirth
Researchers have found several factors are related to a higher risk of stillbirth:
Post-term babies who are small for gestational age have a 6-7 times higher chance of stillbirth and newborn death than post-term babies who are not small for gestational age.
- Also, small for gestational age babies are often growth restricted at the 18-week ultrasound. So, the gestational age for these babies is often under-estimated.
- This means that babies who are small for gestational age may be more post-term than we realize they areincreasing their risk while also leaving us unaware of their true gestational age .
Other factors that do not necessarily cause stillbirth but may increase the risk of stillbirth, in general, include:
- Belonging to an ethnic group at increased risk for stillbirth*
- Being pregnant with your first baby
- Fewer than four prenatal visits or no prenatal care
- Low socioeconomic status
- A body mass index over 25 to 30
- Smoking
- Pre-existing diabetes
- Pre-existing hypertension
- Older maternal age
- Not living with a partner
- History of previous stillbirth
- Being pregnant with multiples
* Racism, including the effects of prejudice and institutional racism, can increase the risk of poor outcomes, including stillbirth, in certain populations .
We have heard some clinicians state that the aging of the placenta is a potential cause of stillbirths with no official known cause. However, up until recently, there was no research on this topic.
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Using A Pregnancy Test With A Weeks Indicator
Pregnancy tests scan your body for hCG , a hormone produced only once an embryo has implanted in your uterus . Some of the fancier, more expensive home pregnancy tests have a weeks indicator that also tells how far along you are. But these tests let you know only that youre one to two weeks, two to three weeks or three-plus weeks pregnant . Fortunately, an ultrasound at your doctors appointment can help pinpoint a more specific due date.
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 Far Along Am I Four Ways To Figure Out How Pregnant You Are
Youre itching to know when your little one will arrive. Heres how to calculate how far you are in your pregnancy.
Its a question youll hear over and over until youre holding a baby in your arms: When are you due? Everyone wants to know that magic date, and youre probably more than a little curious about how far along you are, too. Your due date may become a beacon or a deadline , but its important to remember that your due date will only ever be an estimate of the week youll give birth .
That said, theres one big reason why an accurate estimate is important: in case of complications. If a woman goes into labour early, then we really want to know how far along she is, as best as we can tell, says Carol Scurfield, medical director of the Womens Health Clinic in Winnipeg. A week can make a big difference as far as the health of the baby is concerned.
Do your best to calculate your due date as soon as you discover youre pregnant. Heres how to do it.
How To Calculate Weeks Of Pregnancy
Pregnancy is calculated based on your last menstrual period. Week one of your pregnancy will start on the first day of your LMP. Likewise, the following weeks are calculated. This may sound weird, but it helps in giving the exact date for timely medical care. Unless you had an assisted conception and knew when the fertilization took place, the LMP method is the only way to know the closest ovulation and conception dates .
The doctors can help you with the exact calculation of weeks and months of pregnancy through other ways.
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How Do You Measure Stillbirth Rates
Up until the 1980s, some researchers thought that the risk of stillbirth past 41-42 weeks was similar to the risk of stillbirth earlier in pregnancy. So, they did not think there was any increase in risk with going past your due date.
However, in 1987, a researcher named Dr. Yudkin published a paper introducing a new way to measure stillbirth rates. Dr. Yudkin said that earlier researchers used the wrong math when they calculated stillbirth ratesthey used the wrong denominator! .
Heres why this formula is wrong: We dont need to know how many stillbirths happen out of every 1,000 births at 41 weeks. Instead, we need to know how many stillbirths happen at 41 weeks compared to all pregnancies and births at 41 weeks. In other words, you have to include the healthy, living babies that have not been born yet in your denominator.
When researchers began using this new formula to figure out stillbirth rates, they found something very surprisingthe risk of stillbirth decreased throughout pregnancy, until it reached a low point at 37-38 weeks, after which the risk started to rise again.
Because the risk of stillbirth starts to go up even more at 40, 41, and 42 weeks, some researchers argue that although 40 weeks and 3-5 days may be the physiological length of pregnancy, 40 weeks may be the functional length of a pregnancy.
How To Calculate The Pregnancy The Right Way
Many moms get confused when they learn that they shouldnt start counting time from the day of conception. Instead, they should start counting from the last menstrual cycle.
We agree that it might be a bit confusing to count the pregnancy before the sperm has even met the egg. However, the last menstrual period date is a more reliable date to take into consideration.
Basically, it would be really hard to determine the exact moment of conception. So, even if you know the day youve ovulated and the day youve had sex with your partner, it would still be quite tricky to pinpoint the exact date.
The reason behind that is the fact that the time frame for conception is a slightly bigger window than what you might have thought. As a matter of fact, sperm can fertilize an egg even three to five days after arriving in the vagina. In addition to that, an egg can get fertilized for up to 24 hours after its release.
Were sure it makes way more sense now, and its actually great news! This means that youve already gone through 4 weeks of being pregnant by the time youve missed your period.
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Health Problems & Outcomes For 24
In general, infants that are born very early are not considered to be viable until after 24 weeks gestation. This means that if you give birth to an infant before they are 24 weeks old, their chance of surviving is usually less than 50 percent.
Some infants are born before 24 weeks gestation and do survive. But these infants have a very high chance of severe long-term health problems. About 40 percent of these preemies will suffer long-term health complications because they were born prematurely.
The survival rate for 24-week-old infants is between 60 and 70 percent.
But, a 24-week old preemies chance of dying goes down dramatically if a woman can stay pregnant for just two or three weeks longer. The preemies chances of having long-term health problems also decrease dramatically.
Smell Sensitivity And Food Aversions During Early Pregnancy
Smell sensitivity is a symptom of early pregnancy thats mostly self-reported. Theres little scientific evidence about smell sensitivity during the first trimester. However, it might be important, since smell sensitivity may trigger nausea and vomiting. It may also cause strong distaste for certain foods.
You may experience either a heightened or lessened sense of smell during pregnancy, according to 2017 research. This is especially common during the first and third trimesters. Heightened smell is more common than lessened smell. Some smells that never bothered you before may become less pleasing or even trigger nausea.
The good news is that your sense of smell usually returns to normal after delivery, or within 6 to 12 weeks postpartum.
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Couples Who Don’t Get Pregnant After One Year
What about those who don’t get pregnant after one year? If you’re not pregnant after one year of tryingor after six months if you’re 35 years or olderthen you should see your doctor.
While 10% of couples may not get pregnant after 12 months of trying, half of this group will get pregnant after 36 months of trying. About 4% of couples will try for four years and still not get pregnant. This group of couples is unlikely to ever get pregnant without medical help.
What Happens During Week 3
The fertilized egg moves down your fallopian tube and divides into more and more cells. It reaches your uterus about 34 days after fertilization. The dividing cells then form a ball that floats around in the uterus for about 23 days.
Pregnancy begins when the ball of cells attaches to the lining of your uterus. This is called implantation. It usually starts about 6 days after fertilization and takes about 34 days to be complete.
Pregnancy doesnt always happen, even if an egg is fertilized by a sperm. Up to half of all fertilized eggs pass out of your body when you get your period, before implantation is complete.
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What Is Gestational Age
Its another term frequently used to describe the stage of your pregnancy. Gestational age, or menstrual age, represents the number of completed weeks since your LMP.
Once you’ve found out that youre pregnant, you can ask your doctor to confirm how far along you are. This is usually done with the aid of an ultrasound and physical examination.
After birth, your babys gestational age may be further narrowed down. The pediatrician might analyze their weight, reflexes, vital signs, skin and hair condition, as well as muscle tone.
The precise length of your pregnancy is subject to a number of other factors, such as:
- The accuracy of your expected due date calculation
- Variability of the conception date, relative to the first day of your LMP
- How long it took for the embryo to implant in the uterus
- Medical complications, and the overall health of you and your baby
- Maternal age
- Parental ethnicity and gestational terms
Even with the latest in medical imaging technology and fertility tracking available, its still an imperfect science. Not all women have regular 28-day menstrual cycles, and there could be a significant gap between ovulation and conception.
What Causes Preterm Births
There are many factors that may lead to a preterm birth. Women who have had a previous preterm baby are at highest risk for another preterm baby. Women carrying twins or triplets or have uterine or cervical tumors are also at high risk.
Other factors that put you at risk for a preterm birth include:
- Diabetes
- Problems with the placenta or bleeding
- Overweight or underweight
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Determining If Labor Is Premature
Babies who are born too early are at risk for numerous health problems. There are steps we can take to slow or halt preterm labor. With that said, there are also risks to the medications used to stop preterm labor, both to the mother and the baby.
You and your doctor have to decide together when the risks of allowing labor to continue to outweigh the risks of intervention. This is partially determined by knowing which week of pregnancy you are in.
There are also risks to the baby and mother if a pregnancy goes on for too long. Post-term pregnancy is when birth does not occur by week 42 . If this happens, your midwife or doctor may decide to induce labor.
How Many Weeks Months And Trimesters Are In A Pregnancy
When you break the news about the pregnancy, the most common question you will hear will be: How many weeks are you pregnant? And, even though it may seem complicated to count how many weeks there are until the due date, its not!
Today were going to talk about the pregnancy math. We know that it can be hard to track down how many weeks there are until the due date. So, for those that are eager to master the pregnancy math, weve pieced together this article thats going to provide you with relevant answers.
In order to figure out where you fall in, what week and trimester, its important to know what you should be counting. And, were going to shed some light on everything there is to know about how many weeks, trimesters and months there are in one pregnancy. After reading this, youll know for sure at what stage you are!
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Stages Of Dog Pregnancy
Dogs pass through the stages of pregnancy quickly. Gestation periods are comparatively short in dogs, which means that the pups develop rapidly inside the womb over a period of two-to-three months.
Month One
During the first month, the embryos travel to the uterine horns, usually around day 7, and the embryos are embedded in the uterine lining around day 16. The fetus begins to take shape by day 22, and by day 28 or 30 a veterinarian should be able to detect fetal heartbeats on an ultrasound.
Many dogs do not show any symptoms during the first three weeks of their pregnancy. Some symptoms to watch for during the first month are:
- Increased appetite
- Clear vaginal discharge
- Visible puppy movement in abdomen
How Do I Calculate My Due Date
Wondering how your practitioner estimated your due date? Its calculated counting from the first day of your last menstrual period , not the day you conceived. So try to remember the first day of your last period and add 40 weeks to that.
You can also calculate your due date with the following formula:
- Subtract three months from the first day of your last menstrual period
- Add seven days
- Add one year
For example, if the first day of your last menstrual period was June 2, 2022, subtract three months to get March 2, 2022. Add seven days and you’ll get March 9, 2022. Finally, add one year to find your estimated due date of March 9, 2023.
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