How Many Weeks Pregnant Am I By Due Date

Conception Calculator Based On Due Date

Your Pregnancy: Due Date Calculator | Parents

So, what day did I conceive? There are two ways to use our conception calendar calculator.

The first way is to provide the birth due date. When you visit the doctor they will most likely perform an ultrasound. Although the doctor can see the baby from the 5-6th week of pregnancy, the best time to go for the first sonography is between week 8 and 12.

Based on the characteristics of the image and the results of your blood test, the due date and week of pregnancy can be determined. Remember that those dates, as well as conception calendar, are only an estimation and may change during the next visit.

Pregnancy typically lasts around 40 weeks . That is 266 days from the conception date. If a baby is born before week 37, it’s called a premature birth. But don’t worry if the due date changes or you go in labor on a different date – only 4% of babies are born on their due date and 80% are born either two weeks before and after the date.

Let’s go back to the question: what day did I conceive? In our conception calculator, we subtract 266 days from the estimated due date and get the most probable day of conception:

due date – 266 = conception date

What Is The Best Time To Have An Ultrasound To Determine Gestational Age

In a 2013 study, researchers grouped ultrasound scans by < 7 weeks, 7-10 weeks, 11-14 weeks, 14-19 weeks, and 20-27 weeks .

The authors found that the most accurate time to perform an ultrasound to determine the gestational age was 11-14 weeks. About 68% of people gave birth ±11 days of their estimated due date as calculated by ultrasound at 11-14 weeks. This was a more accurate result than any of the other ultrasound scans, and more accurate than the LMP.

The accuracy of the ultrasound saw a significant decline starting at about 20 weeks. Using an estimated due date from either the LMP or an ultrasound at 20-27 weeks led to a higher rate of pre- and post-term births.

How Is The Due Date Calculated

The expected date of delivery is calculated by adding one year, subtracting three months, and adding seven days to the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period . The result is approximately 280 days from the LMP.

Example: LMP = 8 May 2019+ 1 year = 8 May 2020- 3 months = 8 February 2020+ 7 days = 15 February 2020

The calculation method above does not always result in a 280 days because not all calendar months are the same length, not does it account for leap years. In modern practice, calculators, reference cards, or sliding wheel calculators are used to add 280 days to LMP.

LMP may not be the best date to use as the basis of a due date calculation, but it remains popular because few women know exactly what day they ovulate or conceive a pregnancy, and because no algorithm can predict the exact day that spontaneous labour will occur no matter what considerations are taken into account.

Read Also: What’s The Best Early Pregnancy Test

How To Calculate How Many Weeks You Are

  • Start by counting the recurring day of your last menstrual period
  • Stop counting recurring days when you reach the present time.
  • The number of recurring days you count is the number of weeks you are now.
  • Example:count one week to the nextuntil you reach the present date.

    LMP = December 2, 2021

    1st Wed = December 9, 2021 = 1 Week2nd Wed = December 16, 2021 = 2 Weeks9th Wed = February 3, 2022 = 9 WeeksYou are 9 Weeks and 1 Day pregnant

    Another method to calculate how many weeks pregnant you are is to:

  • Count the days from the first day of your Last Menstrual Period until you reach today’s date.
  • Now divide the counted days by 7.
  • The answer will be how many weeks you are now.
  • How Many Weeks Am I Formula:LMP = Last Menstrual PeriodHow Far Along Am I Formula:LMP = Last Menstrual Period*LMP date may be adjusted if unknown or following ultrasound.

    Each of these methods will give you the gestational age of your pregnancy.

    Can You Calculate The Exact Day Of Conception

    Pregnancy Weeks to Months: How to Do the Math Accurately

    Precisely when conception happens is a little bit more of a mystery. Pinpointing the exact date of ovulation is complex. Most women ovulate between days 11-21 of their monthly cycle, but as you can see, thats a big window of time. Whats more, many women dont closely track ovulation by monitoring cervical mucus and basal body temperature, and even those who do can be off by a day or more.

    To add to the confusion, conception can occur in a few hours after intercourse, or it can occur up to a week after intercourse! How is that possible? If the conditions are right, sperm can live inside a womans body for up to a week.

    Don’t Miss: Can You Find Out Who The Father Is While Pregnant

    Pregnancy Calculator: How Is Your Due Date Calculated

    While itâs true that most pregnancies last 40 weeks, there are other factors at play which will determine your due date. Most expectant mothers donât realize that both menstrual and ovulation periods count as the first two weeks of pregnancy. Many wonât be aware of their pregnancy until their first missed period, and by that time they could be up to five weeks in. That means that simply estimating nine months from the day you take a pregnancy test isnât going to calculate your due date, and, even so, factoring in a few weeks here and there for ovulation wonât either.

    Unless you can pinpoint exactly what point of your ovulation cycle you were in at the time of fertilization, itâs difficult to know how far along you are and what date youâll meet your baby. Luckily, our due date calculator can help.

    Using both the date of your last period and the length of your regular cycle, or exact date of conception, our due date calculator will quickly work out your estimated due date, tailoring it accordingly for longer, shorter, and average cycle lengths.

    Is There A More Accurate Way For Calculating The Due Date

    Yes and no. The Mittendorf-Williams technique predicts the average due date to be 288 days from your LMP, and uses 16 factors that may have an influence. Studies suggest it is twice as accurate as Naegels Rule, but again, all due dates are a rough estimate of when the baby will be here, rather than a hard and fast rule.

    Don’t Miss: What Is Safe To Take For Constipation While Pregnant

    Alternative Ways To Working Out Your Due Date

    Most women ovulate and conceive two weeks after their last period and will only be around 38 gestational weeks by the time the pregnancy has reached the 40-week mark.

    Your dating scan, which youll have at 10 to 14 weeks is the most accurate scan to determine your due date, explains expert Teresa Walsh, a midwife at The Portland Hospital, London..

    To work out the length of your menstrual cycle, count from the day your period normally starts to the day before your next period. The average cycle is 28 days.

    Ready to brush off your GCSE maths? Take the first date of your last normal period, add seven days to that number. Take that date, add nine months, and you get your due month. Simple! Although, dont be surprised if you add back and find you didnt have sex on that exact date…

    All babies grow at an individual rate and your due date is only an estimation, so be as prepared as you can be for a slightly-earlier-than-expected surprise, or carrying your baby for a little longer than that date you now have fixed in your head.

    Keep in mind that women with irregular cycles may have difficulty calculating their due dates , so if you fall in that camp talk to your doctor to get the best estimate of your due date.

    Babies born via IVF will have their due date calculated from date of embryo implantation, not LMP or ultrasound.

    Average Length Of Pregnancy

    MY DUE DATE! Officially finding out how Pregnant I am!

    While 40 weeks is the average, its not unusual to deliver your baby earlier or later. In the past, 37 weeks was considered to be a full-term pregnancy. This definition carried implications on as two when it would be safe to induce labor or schedule a cesarean section.

    However, we now know that being born at 37 weeks can increase health risks. Its not nearly as risky as being born before 37 weeks, but its not ideal either.

    In response, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has created new definitions to describe the timing of labor:

    Recommended Reading: How Does Birth Control Prevent Pregnancy

    Actual Length Of Pregnancy

    The actual length of pregnancy varies significantly among women. Just 4% of babies are born on their estimated due date, while 70% are born within ten days. The remaining 30% are born more than ten days before the due date or more than ten days after.

    The reference above provides a delivery birth range of 38 weeks and four days to 41 weeks and three days with a probability of 70%.

    How Do You Calculate Date Of Conception

    Much like a due date calculator returns an estimated due date, a reverse due date calculator will return an estimated date of conception. Although it may seem like it, a reverse due date calculator isnt magicits just some simple math.

    For a regular 28-day cycle, pregnancy is estimated to be 280 days, or 40 weeks, from your last menstrual period, and 266 days, or 38 weeks, from the date of ovulation. Therefore, to calculate the most likely date of conception, you need to subtract 266 days from your estimated due date.

    Also Check: What To Do When You Feel Nausea During Pregnancy

    Due Date As A Reference Point

    Generally, the point within the 37 to 42-week window at which the baby is born is not a cause for concern. Babies born between 37-39 weeks, 39-41 weeks, and 41-42 weeks are considered early term, full-term, and late-term, respectively. Under normal circumstances, babies born within any of these ranges can be healthy, though full-term babies generally have better outcomes.2 Babies born before 37 weeks are considered preterm, or premature, while those born after 42 weeks are postterm. These ranges are important as a reference for doctors to determine whether or not any action is necessary. For example, if a woman goes into labor too early at 33 weeks, doctors may stop labor to avoid a preterm baby that can have a host of health issues due to underdevelopment. Conversely, if a woman has not gone into labor after 42 weeks, doctors may induce labor. One possible complication of allowing the pregnancy to proceed beyond 42 weeks is that the placenta, which is responsible for providing nutrition and oxygen to the baby, can stop functioning properly, while the baby continues growing , which would eventually lead to a point in the pregnancy where the baby can no longer be adequately supported.3

  • Moore, Keith. 2015. “How accurate are ‘due dates’?” BBC, February 3, 2015. www.bbc.com/news/magazine-31046144.
  • Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. 2017. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pregnancy.
  • The Evidence On: Due Dates

    Calculate Pregnancy Due Date If Period Irregular ...

    Rebecca Dekker, PhD, RN and Anna Bertone, MPH.Please read our Disclaimer and Terms of Use. For a printer-friendly PDF, become a Professional Member to access our complete library.

    What is an estimated due date, and how is it determined? What are the risks of going past your due date?

    This Signature Article focuses on the evidence on due dates, including the accuracy of due dates, the risk of stillbirth at different gestational ages, and what risk factors make some people at higher risk for stillbirth. To read our separate Signature Article all about the Evidence on Inducing for Due Dates , click here.

    Also Check: Can You Take Nutraburst While Pregnant

    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.

    Will I Get A More Accurate Due Date Later In The Pregnancy

    You will have your first appointment with the midwife, the ‘booking appointment’, between 8 weeks and 12 weeks pregnant. Here you will be given a scan and receive an accurate date for your baby’s birth. But if you’re impatient to know when your baby will arrive, then our pregnancy calculator tool gives you an estimate due date without the wait.

    Not pregnant yet?

    Read Also: How Do I Know How Far I Am Pregnant

    What If Ive Had Ivf Or Know The Exact Moment Of Conception

    Your doctor should be able to tell you when your babe is expected to make their arrival, but even knowing the exact moment of conception doesnt guarantee a darn thing.

    No matter what method you use for calculating your due date, only about 4% of babies are born on their actual due dates, and designating a birth month is a more accurate way to think about things.

    Babies. Unpredictable and teaching us patience and flexibility literally from minute one. Let the games begin, right?!

    First Day Of Last Period

    I AM DUE. 39 Weeks Pregnant * What to expect

    Most pregnancies last around 40 weeks , so typically the best way to estimate your due date is to count 40 weeks, or 280 days, from the first day of your last menstrual period .

    Another way to do it is to subtract three months from the first day of your last period and add seven days. So if your last period started on April 11, you’d count back three months to January 11 and then add seven days, which means your due date would be January 18.

    This is how your doctor will estimate your due date and its a pretty solid target. But remember: Its just as normal to deliver a week or two before or after.

    Recommended Reading: How Often Does Spotting Occur During Pregnancy

    How Can I Calculate Important Week

    This pregnancy calculator helps you find out exactly how many weeks pregnant you are right now, details your baby’s development, and precisely what is happening to your body at the moment. Just enter your pregnancy due date or other information to create and calculate a personalized weekly and daily pregnancy calendar. The babyMed Monthly Pregnancy Calculator and Calendar is a week-by-week pregnancy calculator and calendar with information for each day of your pregnancy.

    Why Your Due Date Is Important

    Your due date is likely one of the first bits of information youll seek out after you find out youre pregnant. Friends and family will want to know so they can look forward to greeting your new baby .

    Doctors, midwives, and nurses will want to know so they can track important health milestones and make decisions about interventions and prenatal testing.

    Your due date is less of a deadline and more like a time marker. Your due date indicates the 40th week since your last menstrual period or the 38th week from ovulation.

    Once your due date is calculated, you’re likely to give birth within a four-week period that surrounds your due date. In other words, sometime during the two weeks prior to and two weeks after your assigned due date, you’ll likely meet your baby.

    Around 70 out of every 100 women will have their baby within 10 days of their due date. Assuming there are no complications, others will deliver either a little earlier or a little later than that.

    The due date is valuable for many reasons, including the preparation of your home and family for the new arrival. There are also several other reasons it’s helpful to know your due date.

    You May Like: Can I File For Child Support While Pregnant

    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.

    What About The Risk Of Stillbirth

    Pin on Pregnancy Tips

    In this section, we will talk about how the risk of stillbirth increases towards the end of pregnancy.

    There are two very important things for you to understand when learning about stillbirth rates.

    First, there is a difference between absolute risk and relative risk.

    Absolute risk is the actual risk of something happening to you.

    For example, if the absolute risk of having a stillbirth at 41 weeks was 1.7 out of 1,000, then that means that 1.7 mothers out of 1,000 will experience a stillbirth.

    Relative risk is the risk of something happening to you in comparison to somebody else.

    If someone said that the risk of having a stillbirth at 42 weeks compared to 41 weeks is 94% higher, then that sounds like a lot. But some people may consider the actual risk to still be low1.7 per 1,000 versus 3.2 per 1,000.

    Yes3.2 is about 94% higher than 1.7, if you do the math! So, while it is a true statement to say the risk of stillbirth increases by 94%, it can be a little misleading if you are not looking at the actual numbers behind it.

    Please see our handout on Talking about Due Dates for Providers for tips on how providers can discuss the risk of stillbirth.

    The second important thing that you need to understand is that there are different ways of measuring stillbirth rates. Depending on how the rate is calculated, you can end up with different rates.

    Read Also: When Does Breast Milk Come In During Pregnancy

    Related Posts

    Recent Stories