My Doctor Cant Figure Out My Due Date
Just went for what I thought would be my 10 week appointment and its showing in the ultrasound 9 weeks. My first ultrasound she said we will be able to tell next time and she told me the same thing again today. Due date is either July 30th or August 4th?
First day of my last period was the 23rd of October and we thought October 30th was the day we made our little! I had spotting or what seemed like text book implantation bleeding on November 14th and 15th which would make me think the 30th was the day? It could have also been that we conceived on the 11th, 12th or 13th of November but the spotting/implantation bleeding has me confused!
But what do you guys think? Just in case she is having me wait another week to go do my blood work and genetic testing.
Also so sad her printer doesnt work which bums me out but my husband was able to snap a couple pics!
She did the ultrasound twice for me because the first time I didnt see the heart beat and I realized just now the image is flipped? Which is the correct way? Does it matter? Sorry first timer here!! Thanks in advance!!
Why Is It Risky For My Pregnancy To Go Past 41 Or 42 Weeks
Once you reach 41 weeks, the chances of your baby having problems starts to increase, and your caregiver will likely require you to come in for testing to make sure your baby is continuing to thrive in the womb. This is because the placenta is an organ that ages as the pregnancy progresses, and beyond 41 weeks it may not function as robustly in delivering oxygen and nutrients to your baby.
If your pregnancy goes past 40 weeks and 6 days, your provider may recommend that you have a nonstress test or biophysical profile. If the tests show that the baby is not thriving, your caregiver may decide to induce delivery.
If you don’t go into labor by 42 weeks, your caregiver will likely recommend inducing the labor. That’s because the risks for you and your baby increase significantly after that point. After 42 weeks:
- Your baby may receive less oxygen and nutrients from you as your placenta starts to degrade or the amount of amniotic fluid decreases, compressing the umbilical cord.
- Your baby may become too big for you to deliver vaginally.
- There is a higher chance of stillbirth.
While you’re thinking about the big day, you might enjoy our video series on childbirth. We cover the signs and stages of labor, pain management, medical procedures, decisions about your newborn, and more.
Learn more:
March of Dimes. 2018. What is full term?
What If I Dont Know The Date Of My Last Menstrual Period
This is more common than youd think. Luckily, there are ways to figure out your due date when you cant remember the first day of your LMP:
- If you know you had your LMP during a particular week, your doctor can estimate your due date accordingly.
- If you have no idea when your last period was, your doctor may order an ultrasound to determine your due date.
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Pregnancy Checklist At 2 Weeks Pregnant
Take your vitamins
It’s not too early to take a prenatal vitamin that will provide essential nutrients for you and your baby. Make sure it contains iron, vitamin D, calcium, and folic acid to reduce your baby’s risk of certain birth defects. Also be sure your partner is getting the nutrients he needs for healthy sperm.
See your healthcare provider
Have a preconception checkup to make sure your body is in the best possible shape for baby-making. For example, find out whether you should stop taking any prescription or over-the-counter drugs or supplements. Also use this time to talk about any problems or concerns you may have about pregnancy or parenthood. If your provider can’t help you, she can provide referrals to specialists or counselors.
Consider this blood test
You and your partner may want to get genetic carrier screening to see whether you carry genes that would put your baby at risk for serious inherited illnesses. Although many of these conditions are rare, a large study found that 24 percent of those tested were carriers for at least one genetic mutation. Talking to a genetic counselor will help you stay informed about your reproductive choices.
Have frequent sex
Make time for self-care
Prepare your body for pregnancy
Prepare your mind for pregnancy
How To Calculate Due Date Based On Last Period
The most common way of determining when baby will be born is to calculate your due date based on your last menstrual period , which is how a pregnancy calculator works. If you have an average-length cycle , your period came about two weeks before you ovulated and conceived. To arrive at your baby due date, count forward 40 weeks from the first day of your last period and mark a big X on your calendar for Baby Day! Or, if youd rather not rely on your math right now , simply plug the date of your last menstrual cycle into The Bump pregnancy due date calculator above and get instant results. Of course, not every woman has a 28-day cycle or ovulates exactly mid-cycle . Another way to calculate your pregnancy due date is by ultrasound .
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What Is Pregnancy Calculator And How It Calculate Your Due Date
Pregnancy calculator determines the date of your baby’s birth. It gives an approximate date helping you to prepare for the big day.
You can calculate the due date by entering the first day of your last menstrual period and the average length of your cycle in the pregnancy calculator. The due date is calculated by adding 280 days, i.e., 40 weeks to the first day of your last period . The menstrual period and ovulation are the first two weeks of pregnancy. If you are delivering your baby on the due date, your baby will be 38 weeks, and not 40. This method is known as Dr. Nagele’s rule.
Factors Affecting Due Date
With so much focus and excitement over an assigned day, youd think itd be an accurate numberbut its not always the case. The simple truth is that only 5 out of 100 people will deliver their babies on their actual due date.
Still, determining which week of pregnancy youre in is crucial to receiving good prenatal care and planning for your upcoming life change.
The majority of babies are born over a 35-day span, with birth typically occurring anywhere from about 37.5 weeks to 42.5 weeks. Due dates are also not deadlines. You could have your baby a week later than your due date and still be considered on time.
There are many factors that can influence your due date. First, each pregnant person has their own predetermined schedule.Many people will tell you that their pregnancies were all about the same length. If you had two kids, each delivered around 41 weeks, your third kid is likely to arrive around 41 weeks.
People who are pregnant for the first time tend to go into labor later. Youre more likely to go a few days past your due date with your first baby.
And finally, some people are at risk of preterm labor. About one in 10 pregnancies end with premature delivery. Maternal risk factors for premature babies include having a previous preterm birth, vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, and even periodontal disease.
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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.
What If I Have Irregular Periods Or Long Cycles
Some women have cycles that are consistently longer than the average 28-day cycle. In these cases, a pregnancy wheel can still be used, but some simple calculations are necessary.
The second half of a womans menstrual cycle always lasts for 14 days. This is the time from ovulation to the next menstrual period. If your cycle is 35 days long, for example, then you probably ovulated on day 21.
Once you have a general idea of when you ovulated, you can use an adjusted LMP to find your due date with a pregnancy wheel.
For example, if your menstrual cycle is usually 35 days long and the first day of your LMP was November 1:
After you calculate your adjusted LMP date, simply mark it on the pregnancy wheel and then look at the date where the line crosses. That is your estimated due date.
Some pregnancy wheels may allow you to enter the date of conception which occurs within 72 hours of ovulation instead of the date of your LMP.
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What Do I Need To Know About Using A Pregnancy Due Date Calculator
A due date calculator may not be completely accurate. This is especially true if you arent exactly sure when you had your last period, you have irregular periods or you dont know when you conceived. You should see your provider for a more precise test, such as an ultrasound, to confirm your due date.
What Is The Date Of Conception
Conception occurs after ovulation, when the sperm meets the egg. For instance, if you had intercourse on the 5th of the month, and you did not ovulate until the 8th of the month, the conception will occur on or just after the 8th. If you have a 28 day-cycle, conception is known to occur between 11 and 21 days after the first day of your LMP. As most of us do not know the date of conception, it is taken as an estimate based on the LMP method.
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Why Is 39 Weeks Now Considered Full Term
Full term is now 39 weeks because research has shown that babies born at 39 to 40 weeks were less likely to have certain health problems than those born at 37 weeks.
Babies born at 39 or 40 weeks instead of 37 or 38 weeks:
- Have more time for their brain, lungs, and liver to fully mature
- Are less likely to have vision and hearing problems
- Are more likely to be born at a healthy weight
- Are more likely to suck and swallow well at birth
Studies have also found an increased risk of learning problems and health problems later in life in babies born before 39 weeks.
One study looked at the records of more than 150,000 school-age children and found an elevated risk of poor child development in children delivered via a planned birth before 39 weeks. The study looked at physical health and well-being, language and cognition, social competence, emotional maturity, and general knowledge and communication.
What’s more, your baby’s gestational age can be off by as much as two weeks, even if you had an early ultrasound to date your pregnancy. If you schedule a delivery before 39 weeks and your due date is off by a week or two, your baby may be born before 37 weeks’ gestation.
In the past, some caregivers scheduled delivery before 39 weeks for convenience or other non-medical reasons. Their patients may have been happy to avoid the discomfort of the last few weeks of pregnancy since they believed the baby was ready to be born anyway.
How Can I Work Out My Due Date
After finding out you’re pregnant, you will want to know how pregnant you are and when your baby is likely to be born. This can be done by working out your estimated due date.
You can calculate your babys estimated due date based on the date of the first day of your last menstrual period . Your baby will be due around 40 weeks after the first day of your LMP. This method is particularly accurate if you have a regular menstrual cycle. For example, if you have a regular 28-day cycle, add 7 days to the date of the rst day of your last period, then add 9 months.
If your cycle is longer or shorter than 28 days or irregular, working out your due date using the first day of your LMP can be more difficult and may also be more unreliable.
Another way your due date can be calculated is by using ultrasound. By measuring your babys size, doctors can work out how far along your pregnancy is. In early pregnancy your doctor will measure the length from your babys head to your babys bottom. This is called the crown-rump length or CRL. Later in pregnancy, your doctor can measure different parts of your babys body, including your babys head, thigh bone and abdomen to work out an average size and an estimated due date.
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Baby Development At 3 Weeks
Your growing baby
Your developing baby is a tiny ball of several hundred cells that are multiplying and burrowing into the lining of your uterus. The cells in the middle will become the embryo. The cells on the outside will become the placenta, the pancake-shaped organ that delivers oxygen and nutrients to your baby and carries away waste.
Connecting to you
Your little blastocyst is receiving oxygen and nutrients through a primitive circulation system made up of microscopic tunnels that connect your developing baby to the blood vessels in your uterine wall. The placenta will eventually take over this task around the end of the first trimester.
Having twins?
Its too soon to know. But its still fun to see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week. You can also learn about your likelihood of having twins or more.
When Should I See My Doctor
Usually, you can work out your due date without seeing a doctor. Choosing to have an early dating scan, although recommended, is your choice.
However, there are a few situations when having an ultrasound scan early in pregnancy may be strongly recommended. You should see a doctor if you:
- have a very long or irregular menstrual cycle or dont know your LMP
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Division Of Pregnancy Trimesters:
Disclaimer: While our tool gives you a tentative due date and other details, it cannot replace a medical consultation. Visit a physician for confirming your EDD based on your complete medical history.
Our calculations are only an indication. MomJunction is not liable for any related issues, consequences or damages.
When Is A Pregnancy Considered Full Term And What Does That Mean
A pregnancy is considered full term at 39 weeks. This means it’s best not to schedule your baby’s delivery before that point unless there’s a medical or obstetrical reason to do so.
On average, pregnancies last about 40 weeks from the first day of a woman’s last menstrual period. That’s how your practitioner will most likely estimate your due date.
Sometimes it’s in the best interest of the mom or baby to schedule an induction or a c-section instead of waiting for labor to begin. Experts need to know the gestational age at which most babies are developed enough to be born healthy so caregivers can be confident they’re not scheduling a delivery too early. Babies who reach this point are considered full term.
Caregivers previously believed that babies born between 37 and 42 weeks were equally likely to be born healthy. For that reason, experts considered pregnancies to be full term at 37 weeks.
Then in 2013 the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine reviewed the research and decided to change the definition of full term to 39 weeks.
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How Accurate Is The Due Date
The pregnancy calculator gives you an approximate due date. It is worked out by adding 280 days to the first day of your last menstrual period. This is based on a 28-day cycle but is adjusted for longer or shorter cycles.
Your period and ovulation are counted as the first 2 weeks of pregnancy. If you have the baby on your due date, your baby has been growing for 38 weeks, not 40, but you are still classed as 40 weeks pregnant.
Remember that only around 5% of babies are born on their due date so its just an estimation.
How Long Can You Go Past Your Due Date
It is typical for a pregnancy to last between 37 and 42 weeks. A pregnancy lasting beyond 42 weeks is considered post-term, which means the pregnancy is past its due date.
Depending on your health care provider, your pregnancy may reach 41 weeks without any intervention. However, doctors will often run tests on people who are 41 weeks to ensure that the baby is active and healthy. A non-stress test and ultrasound are among the tests a doctor may run on a person who is past 41 weeks pregnant.
Your doctor will look for whether the baby has an adequate amount of amniotic fluid and if the baby is active in the womb. If that is the case, the pregnancy may go on a bit longer until you possibly go into labor on your own. Sometimes, the tests may show the baby is in potential distress, and your doctor may discuss inducing labor.
The risks to both you and your baby increase as a pregnancy reaches 41 to 42 weeks. At this point, your doctor may decide its best to induce labor. This is especially true for pregnant people over 40 years old.
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