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Calculate the approximate gestational age. We determine the duration of pregnancy by the date of the last menstruation. What is an online calculator

In addition to the health of the baby, the expectant mother is also concerned about the issue of determining the duration of pregnancy. This is necessary not only in order to establish an approximate date of birth, but also to calculate the date of the start of maternity leave. The most commonly used method for determining the duration of pregnancy by menstruation.

How are the last periods and pregnancy related?

The first question of the obstetrician-gynecologist at the appointment about pregnancy will concern the date of the start of the last menstruation. In addition, the doctor is interested in the duration of the menstrual cycle, its regularity. It is these data that will be used to determine the period of pregnancy by menstruation.

The fact is that in obstetric practice it is customary to count the pregnancy from the first day of the last menstruation. This, in fact, is the only guideline, since in most cases it is almost impossible to establish the date of conception. Many people follow a general calculation formula that is based on a 28-day regular cycle. In this case, ovulation and conception occur, as a rule, on the 14th day from the beginning of menstruation. However, not every woman can boast of the regularity of her cycles, and their duration, according to statistics, for most women differs from the reference one up or down. Therefore, determining the duration of pregnancy by the last menstruation is not always reliable.

Obstetricians-gynecologists distinguish between the actual obstetric gestational age (from the first day of the last menstruation) and the embryonic, or true, gestational age (from the date of ovulation and fertilization).

You can calculate the gestational age by menstruation yourself. To do this, in addition to the start date of your last menstrual period, you need to know the total duration of pregnancy - 280 days, or 40 weeks. Thus, you can calculate the approximate due date by counting 40 weeks from the first day of your last period.

Doctors do it easier - they use the Negele formula: add 9 months and 7 days to the date of the first day of the last menstruation, or subtract 3 months and add to the number 7. You can do this without calculations, using a special pregnancy calendar for the last monthly period. In the red line we find the date of the beginning of the last menstruation, next to it, in the yellow line, we look at the date of the probable day of birth.

Do not believe me - double-check

However, determining the duration of pregnancy by menstruation is far from the most reliable method. If a woman has an irregular menstrual cycle, then you need to use other methods:

  • be examined by a gynecologist;
  • calculate by the date of the first fetal movement;
  • undergo an ultrasound examination.

At the beginning of pregnancy, at the reception of an obstetrician-gynecologist, you will be examined on a gynecological chair. An experienced doctor will determine the duration of pregnancy by the size of the uterus, and at a later date - by the size of the fetus and the height of the fundus of the uterus.

The date of the first movement of the fetus is considered by obstetricians-gynecologists to be very important, since it can be used to calculate the expected due date. To do this, a certain number of weeks are added to the day of the first stirring (for a primiparous woman - 20 weeks, for a multiparous woman - 22 weeks).

The method for determining the gestational age using ultrasound (up to 12 weeks) is the most accurate: an experienced specialist will determine the true gestational age. However, no matter what methods humanity uses to penetrate the mystery of the birth of a new life, the baby will be born in due time, as soon as he is fully ready to meet the world.

The duration of pregnancy from conception to childbirth is about 266 days, or 38 weeks. Since the date of conception is usually not known for sure, in modern obstetrics it is customary to calculate the gestational age from the first day of the last menstruation. With this calculation, it is approximately 280 days, or 40 weeks, since ovulation (the release of a mature egg from the ovaries) and, accordingly, fertilization usually occurs about two weeks after the onset of menstruation. Turning to an obstetrician-gynecologist, many expectant mothers begin to worry about the difference in the date of birth - the one that the doctor calculated and the alleged woman herself. In order not to worry in vain, you need to know that there are two stages of pregnancy - obstetric and embryonic.

Fetal term- this is the true gestational age from conception, it usually lags behind obstetric by about 2 weeks.

Obstetric term doctors determine from the first day of the last menstruation before pregnancy. It should be remembered that all doctors use it: the size of the fetus, the timing of examinations, going on maternity leave and the date of birth are calculated taking into account only the obstetric period of pregnancy. The exact period of pregnancy is also very important to know for screening tests for the presence of genetic abnormalities in the fetus (ultrasound and blood tests), since these examinations are carried out at strictly defined periods of pregnancy.

During the first visits to the antenatal clinic, the obstetrician-gynecologist usually determines the estimated date of birth (PDD). There are several ways to do this.

Method 1. The method of determining the date of birth by the date of the last menstruation

This is the most common way to calculate the DA. Subtract three months from the start date of your last period to calculate your due date. You need to add 7 days to the resulting date - this number is the very expected date of birth. Obstetricians-gynecologists, when calculating the PDR by this method, usually use special obstetric calendars, which greatly simplify the calculations.

However, it is far from always possible to accurately calculate the PDR using this method alone. This happens when a woman has irregular periods, or in those patients who have a regular but long menstrual cycle. For example, if a woman has a typical cycle duration of 35 days (and not 26-28, as in most), then, most likely, she will be able to conceive only on about the 21st day of the cycle (and not on the 14th, as with a 28-day cycle). Accordingly, the PDE calculated by menstruation will be one week earlier than the actual estimated date of delivery.

Method 2. ovulation date or conception date

If the date of conception is reliably known, then you can calculate the estimated date of birth yourself, adding 266 days - this is the average gestation period. But here, too, there are some nuances. You need to understand that even if a woman knows exactly the date of ovulation or the date of sexual intercourse after which the pregnancy occurred, this does not mean that she absolutely knows the date of conception. A sperm that has entered the female body is capable of fertilization on average for 4–5 days, sometimes even within a week, and a mature egg retains the ability to conceive for 2 days after ovulation. Therefore, even knowing the exact date of sexual intercourse or ovulation, it is impossible to say with certainty that fertilization took place on that day. It could have happened later. Therefore, the term calculated by ovulation or the date of conception cannot be considered absolutely accurate.

Method 3. Method of determining the date of birthon the first visit to the antenatal clinic

Usually, the date of the upcoming birth and the gestational age are calculated by the doctor when registering for pregnancy. Doctors call this method of calculation - according to the "first attendance at the antenatal clinic." The duration of pregnancy, and, accordingly, the date of birth in this case is determined by the following parameters - the size of the uterus and the level of chorionic gonadotropin in the blood. Examining a woman in a gynecological chair, an obstetrician-gynecologist with both hands determines the size of the uterus. Most accurately this method "works" in the early stages of pregnancy, up to about 12 weeks. The earliest term that can be determined by the size of the uterus is 5 weeks of pregnancy. By this time, the uterus enlarges slightly, softens and becomes rounded. At a later date, the size of the uterus may vary slightly depending on the size of the fetus, the amount of amniotic fluid, and the structure of the woman's pelvis.

A blood test for hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) helps to determine the duration of pregnancy and calculate the approximate date of birth in the early stages. It begins to be produced in the body of the expectant mother with the onset of pregnancy, and gradually, until about the 11th week of pregnancy, its amount increases and then decreases slightly. Determining the concentration of hCG in the blood at the beginning of pregnancy helps to accurately determine its duration. Having received the results of a blood test for hCG, it is worth paying attention to the fact that the embryonic period is often indicated in the laboratory tables, which determine the correspondence of the hormone level to the gestational age. That is, to determine the usual obstetric gestational age, 2 weeks should be added to the result obtained.

Method 4. The method of determining the date of birth n about ultrasound

When conducting an ultrasound scan in early pregnancy, by measuring the size of the ovum and embryo, the gestational age can be determined with great accuracy. At 4-5 weeks in the uterus during ultrasound examination, a small "black circle" is determined - this is a fetal egg, in which an embryo will appear a little later. At about 6-7 weeks, an embryo appears in the form of a small "strip", and you can see its heartbeat. More accurate is the period calculated by measuring the CTE of the embryo (CTE is the coccygeal-parietal size, that is, the maximum distance from the head of the fetus to its coccyx). After 12 weeks of pregnancy, ultrasound is determined by measuring various sizes of the fetus's head and abdomen, the length of its arms, legs, etc.

Up to 9-10 weeks of pregnancy, the embryo grows proportionally, and its size in all women with the same gestational age will be approximately identical. In the future, these indicators will differ in expectant mothers of different nationalities, with different body weights, the weight of the mother and father at birth will also matter, and so on. That is, in the later stages of pregnancy, normally developing babies of the same "age" can have different sizes (fluctuations can be about 2 weeks or sometimes even more), and in such a situation, the gestational age cannot be reliably determined according to ultrasound data.

Method 5. The method of determining the date of birth nabout the first stirring of the fetus

We note right away that this method for determining the PDD has recently been used less and less. It is based on the fact that women who are carrying their first child begin to feel his first movements on average at about 20 weeks of pregnancy, and pregnant women for the second or more times, a little earlier, at 18 weeks. That is why obstetricians-gynecologists recommend that the expectant mother remember the date of the first fetal movement and enter these data into the exchange card. To calculate the expected date of birth in women preparing to become a mother for the first time, 20 weeks must be added to the date of the first fetal movement, and for those expecting a second baby - 22 weeks.

However, this method of determining the date of the upcoming birth is often mistaken. What is the matter here? The problem is that the time when a woman can feel the first movements of the fetus is very individual and depends on her sensitivity, physique, as well as on employment and experience. So, some expectant mothers feel the first movements as early as 15-16 weeks, and some only after 20. Slender women, as a rule, begin to feel them earlier than full ones. Expectant mothers who lead an active lifestyle, who work a lot, usually feel the fetal movement later than those who are less busy and have more opportunity to listen to their inner feelings. Pregnant women for the second or more times already know exactly how the baby's movements are felt, therefore, as a rule, they recognize the baby's movements earlier than "inexperienced" primiparous women, who often mistake fetal movements for increased intestinal motility and gas.

All of the above methods allow you to calculate the expected date of delivery. However, it must be remembered that, of course, it is not completely accurate. Overweight or undermaturity of pregnancy is not uncommon. Abnormalities in fetal development, pathological processes in the body of the expectant mother, stressful situations, hereditary factors and many other reasons can provoke the onset of premature labor. Therefore, it is very important to realize that calculating the date of birth is a very conditional concept, regardless of the method used, and it is not possible to predict exactly when the baby will be born.

How is the estimated due date of IVF calculated?

In the case of IVF (in vitro fertilization), the fertilization of an egg with a sperm is performed "in vitro" by an embryologist. Embryos develop in the laboratory for 3-5 days, after which they are transferred to the uterus. Doctors calculate the true gestational age after IVF from the date of ovarian puncture, that is, procedures when the follicular fluid and the follicles contained in it are taken with a special needle for subsequent fertilization "in a test tube", and to determine the "usual" obstetric period, add 2 weeks by the date of ovarian puncture.

If the transfer of the embryo into the uterus was preceded by its cryopreservation (that is, freezing in liquid nitrogen), to determine the exact duration of pregnancy, doctors add 5 days to the transfer date (this is the number of days of embryo development before freezing), and to determine the obstetric period, add 2 weeks, and the due date is calculated.

Even if a woman knows the date of the beginning of her last bleeding, but her menstrual cycle is very irregular, it is impossible to rely on the standard calculation method. In addition, it may well happen that she took it for a slight bleeding, which came with the already existing one. In order to determine the date of future birth as accurately as possible, it is possible and even necessary to resort to less common methods of calculating the timing of pregnancy.

Determination of the term by ultrasound

Modern technology can significantly facilitate such a seemingly difficult task. The ultrasound diagnostic devices produced today make it possible to determine the age of a small embryo with an accuracy of 1 day, but only if the gestation period does not exceed 12 weeks. All babies before this period grow the same, later on the size begins to be influenced by the peculiarities of individual development.

The height of the fundus of the uterus

If it is impossible to determine the exact date using ultrasound, you will have to resort to more ancient methods, while remembering that these data will be approximate and you should rely on them more than carefully.

One of these methods is to determine the height of the day of the uterus. Already starting with, the doctor may well feel it through the abdominal wall and, if, for example, it reaches the navel, then we can say that the gestation period is 22-24 weeks.

Even the exact date of birth is not absolute and only serves as a guideline, because the normal gestation period ranges from 38 to 42 weeks.

Stirring

The least accurate signs, on the basis of which it is possible to determine the term, are. According to obstetric textbooks, nulliparous women begin to feel the first tremors at the 20th, their more experienced colleagues at 17-18. But as practice shows, everything depends so much on the woman's sensitivity, sometimes even suspiciousness, the place of attachment of the fetus in and the temperament of the future, that some expectant mothers already at 14-15 weeks brag about the first "kicks", while others fall into a real panic due to the fact that at 21-22 they do not feel anything at all.

Sometimes, when calculating the gestational age, the date of conception can help if it is known more or less accurately.

Which way is more accurate

Menstrual irregularities sometimes occur. They are expressed in a change in the duration of the cycle, the duration of menstruation, or a change in the amount of blood loss. If your cycle is less than 21 days or more than 35 days, this is a good reason to see your doctor. If it lasts less than 2 or more than 7 days, you need to consult a gynecologist. Lean or plentiful should also be a reason for visiting a doctor.

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note

If you smoke, your risk of menstrual irregularities increases by 5 times.

Sources:

  • how will menstruation be

Why do you need to know the gestational age? After all, childbirth will occur sooner or later in every woman. This is true, however, it must be borne in mind that knowing the exact duration of pregnancy, the doctor will not only set the most correct PDD (the estimated day of birth), but will also track whether the baby is developing correctly at each stage by weeks.

Instructions

It is customary to start counting pregnancy from the first day of the last menstruation. This is the so-called term. Strictly speaking, the woman is not pregnant for the first two weeks of this period, but if we consider that it is impossible to determine the exact day of ovulation and conception without measuring the basal temperature, then this method allows you to calculate quite correctly. After all, almost every woman is capable of calling the day of the last menstruation. The date of birth according to the obstetric term is determined as follows: 7 days are added to the number of the first day of menstruation, and 3 months are taken away. This will be the PDR.

After visiting the ultrasound office, many ladies are perplexed by the fact that the period according to the results of the study is about 2 weeks less. This is correct, and should not cause concern: the ultrasound specialist sets the actual period of fetal development, and it just should be less than obstetric.

According to the results of ultrasound, you can very accurately find out the gestational age of up to 8 weeks: at this time, everyone develops in the same way, and you can even talk not about weeks, but about the days of pregnancy. For more development of the fetus occurs according to an individual schedule, which is enclosed in special tables that allow doctors to judge how correctly the pregnancy is proceeding.

Pregnancy is diagnosed by analyzing the level of the specific hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). An increase in the content of this hormone in the blood indicates pregnancy, and the term is determined by its amount. However, this method is not the most accurate, since the range of hCG levels is too wide.

From about week twelve, an obstetrician-gynecologist will measure the height of the fundus above:
- for a period of 12 weeks, the uterus is located on the upper edge of the bosom,
- at 14 weeks - 3-5 centimeters above the bosom,
- at 16 weeks, the bottom of the uterus is felt between the womb and,
- at 24 weeks at the navel level,
- at 32 weeks, the height is 28-30 centimeters,
- at 36 weeks, the fundus of the uterus supports the ribs,
- by the end of the pregnancy, it drops to the level of thirty-two weeks, since the presenting part of the child drops lower into the pelvis.

Development is considered to be within the normal range if the deviation from the average is up to 3 centimeters. Measuring the height of the fundus of the uterus allows not only to make sure of the timing and normal development of pregnancy, but also to diagnose in time such troubles as oligohydramnios or polyhydramnios and a number of others.

Sources:

  • My baby in 2019

Doctors use the date of your last menstrual period to estimate your pregnancy, but this is not the only factor. The obstetrician must take into account the data of the gynecological examination, the results of an ultrasound examination, the date of the first stirring and other factors.

Instructions

The date of the first day of the last menstrual period indicates the beginning of the cycle of maturation of the egg, which subsequently fertilized and led to pregnancy. It is believed that pregnancy occurs 2 weeks after the start of the menstrual cycle, because more often ovulation occurs on the 14th day of the cycle, and it is on this day that a woman can. If a woman does not remember when they were, then the term is determined by other leading factors. Sometimes it happens that pregnancy has come, but false periods are observed, in this case, the date when there was spotting does not affect the period of intrauterine development.

During pregnancy, persistent slight hyperemia on the cervix is ​​characteristic (Chadwick's symptom). The gynecologist palpates the uterus, determining its size. At each stage of intrauterine life, the genital organ has a certain size. For example, at 7 weeks of pregnancy, the uterus is approximately the size of an average chicken egg, at 10 weeks it has a size of 110 by 80 mm, etc.

Ultrasound of the fetus gives the most accurate data on the gestational age. During an ultrasound scan in the first trimester of pregnancy, the doctor measures the size of the fetus, the biparietal size of the embryo and the diameter of the yolk sac on the display of the coccygeal-parietal apparatus. From 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, an experienced ultrasound-gynecologist will distinguish the body length of the embryo, which is 3-6 mm, then the fetus grows and the size increases. From the 8th week of intrauterine development, the biparietal size of the fetal head is determined - at this time it is approximately 6 mm. The diameter of the yolk sac is determined from 6 weeks and is 3 mm3, by the end of the first trimester of pregnancy, it increases to 6 mm3, and then begins to decrease.

The doctor uses special tables or programs, which indicate the sizes and the corresponding dates. As a rule, three parameters of the fetus correspond to one date and do not have discrepancies. An increase in the biparietal size indicates fetal pathology, and the untimely development of the yolk sac indirectly indicates intrauterine infection, since it practically performs the function of the liver. In case of infections, the yolk sac does not cope with its purpose and does not correspond to the proper size.

Based on all the collected data, the obstetrician-gynecologist determines the approximate gestational age, but he relies more on ultrasound data.

Instructions

The first way is by the date of conception. It occurs at the moment when the egg is fused with the sperm. This occurs mainly on the second day after ovulation of the egg. Some women are able to feel this moment, because it is accompanied by tangible symptoms, such as pulling pains in the lower abdomen, strong libido. Some women use special tests that measure ovulation. This process can be measured using basal temperature. For some reason, gynecologists set the ovulation period by two weeks longer. At this point, the approximate date of birth is also stamped in the card of the pregnant woman.

The second way is according to the obstetric term. In this case, the date of ovulation is not taken into account. All that the doctor pays attention to is the date of the first day of the last menstruation. In this case, the duration of the bleeding itself is also not important. Pregnancy is counted from this first day.

Finding out the gestational age with the help of ultrasound data at a later date is already more difficult. The next study is carried out only at the twentieth week. There, the timing is set based on calculations of the size of the parts of the body and the head of the fetus. However, in the second half of gestation, children develop very individually.

The fifth way is a gynecological examination. At the first visit to the antenatal clinic, an examination by a gynecologist is mandatory. It identifies problems, if any, and also sets the gestational age. For example, in the sixth week, the uterus will be slightly enlarged, its size is commensurate with a hen's egg. At the eighth week - about the size of a goose's egg, and already at the tenth - the size of a fist.

Our online pregnancy calculator will help you calculate your pregnancy period by week. Pregnancy is an amazing period in the life of any woman, when a new life appears and develops inside. This is happening at a fairly rapid pace. For 9 months, the fetus goes through the stages of development from a few small cells to an organized organism. With each week of pregnancy, the little one undergoes certain changes, improves the existing systems, acquiring new qualities. Therefore, it is very interesting for the expectant mother to find out during the whole interesting situation what is happening with the baby, what he is, what he can do at this stage. Description further.

How to calculate your pregnancy by weeks

For this, the interactive Pregnancy Calculator is intended, which allows you to calculate a woman's pregnancy by weeks, thus finding out the approximate date of birth of a child. The calculation is carried out from the first day of the last menstruation, although it is more correct to calculate the period of conception from ovulation. Although the exact time of ovulation is not always known, the pregnancy calculator reflects the timing for the most common cycle of 28 days. With a long or short cycle, amendments are possible, although in practice it is customary to calculate a woman's pregnancy by menstruation. This Pregnancy Calendar is designed to calculate the timing of key moments in fetal development and includes a birth calculator.

What is gestational age and how is it calculated? It is customary to distinguish obstetric and embryonic terms and many mothers are simply confused about these terms and today we will try to figure it out.

The first thing we will start with is the obstetric term, because in fact everything, all calculations, our gynecologist will make on the basis of the obstetric term.

Obstetric term
The obstetric period is calculated from the first day of the last menstruation, so when you go to the gynecologist for the first time, clearly know the date of your last menstruation, this will simplify your life, and in the future, all of your data will be entered into a special card, everything will be written there.
The obstetric period assumes 280 days of pregnancy, well, these are average indicators, it is clear that each mother is an individual and this period can vary, but it is customary to consider 280 days.
According to the obstetric term, they issue directions for tests, a certificate of maternity leave and all other documents that you will need in the future, the same exchange card, there all data will be put on the basis of the obstetric term.
And according to the obstetric term, the estimated date of birth is calculated, this is the PDD.

How to calculate your expected due date

The first day of the last menstruation, 3 months ago and 7 days are added, so you can calculate your pregnancy and when your baby is born.

Fetal term
It is calculated from the moment of conception and, as a rule, is shorter by 14-15 days of the obstetric period.
That is, in fact, we all know biology, menstruation has passed and a new cycle of egg formation has begun and on the 14th and 15th day, on average, it matures and is ready for fertilization, this is called the day of ovulation.
In fact, it will be very difficult for us to determine and calculate the exact day of ovulation, there are of course different tests in the pharmacy, you can buy and know exactly when you ovulate,
but so, in principle, it is very difficult to determine or calculate, because fertilization itself occurs on the day of ovulation, plus minus 3-5 days.



After all, the determination of this period will help to calculate the approximate date of when the long-awaited child will be born. There are a lot of methods, and it's hard to say which one is the most accurate. But it is quite possible to determine which week of pregnancy you are at home on your own.

Medical examination methods

Consider how doctors determine the gestational age:

  • By ultrasound. This is one of the most common ways. The doctor measures the size of the fetus, and according to them he already calls your period approximately.
  • By the date of the last menstruation. This is how you can tell when ovulation has occurred.
  • By the size of the uterus. With each week of pregnancy, the uterus changes, increases in size and rises higher.
  • HCG analysis. It shows the amount of hormones in the blood. The method is quite accurate, but still does not give an unambiguous result.

Pregnancy: how to determine its term at home

Some women prefer not to go to doctors right away because they know how to find out early pregnancy at home. There are quite a few methods, here are some of them:

  • By the date of ovulation.
  • For the last menstruation.
  • By the wiggle of the baby.
  • By date of conception.
  • Formula Negele.

Early pregnancy detection at home

If you do not have a test at hand, then there are other ways to find out early pregnancy at home:

  • With baking soda.

Take a small container and fill it with morning urine. Add a spoonful of baking soda there and carefully watch what happens. If the baking soda reacts and starts to sizzle, then you are not pregnant. And if it precipitates, then you will soon become a mother.

  • With iodine.

You will need a container filled with morning urine. You need to add a small drop of iodine to it. In the event that the drop remains on the surface, then you are pregnant, and if it dissolves, then no.

Ovulation: how to determine the gestational age by it

Ovulation is the period in the menstrual cycle when a woman can become pregnant. At this time, the egg matures, then goes into the fallopian tube and stays there for a certain period of time in order to wait for the sperm.

If you want to understand how to find out the gestational age by the date of ovulation, then you should have a schedule for maintaining basal body temperature. By the way, in pharmacies you can find tests that help to accurately determine ovulation. If intercourse occurred during this period, then most likely you are pregnant.

Determine the term by the last monthly

Finding out the gestational age by the last menstruation is another way that you can use at home, without the help of doctors. The first day of the last menstrual cycle is the period when the egg matures, the body is completely rebuilt and conception is at the maximum possible.

It is very easy to find out the gestational age by the last menstruation. Count how many weeks have passed from this date to the present - that's all.

Take a calendar and add 280 days to this date. This is approximately 40 weeks (this is how long the pregnancy itself lasts). It will be an approximate time, you have to give birth to your child.

Finding out the gestational age by the last menstruation is the easiest way. It is for this reason that women use it at home. Not everyone can measure their basal temperature and determine the period of ovulation, but the date of the onset of menstruation is recorded by everyone.

When the baby starts to move in the womb

Any representative of the fair sex, who is preparing for the role of a mother, is very sensitive to the period of bearing a baby. Many questions arise regarding pregnancy and childbirth. Someone is trying to find out the duration of pregnancy by menstruation, someone uses other methods.

It should be noted that it is almost impossible to determine the exact date. But, if you calculate it in several ways, then the probability will increase. For example, you have already calculated the period for menstruation, now wait until you feel the first movement of the baby.

In primiparous women, this usually happens at 20 weeks, in multiparous women it can happen earlier. In any case, when you feel that the baby in the womb has begun to move, you will know that you are now about 20 weeks pregnant.

Date of conception: how to calculate the gestational age with it

Determining which week of pregnancy you are at the moment is possible only if you know exactly the date when conception occurred. Otherwise, only a gynecologist can do this.

To find out the duration of pregnancy by weeks and days, make an appointment for an examination, the doctor will find out from you the date of the first day of the last menstruation and calculate the obstetric period, and will name the approximate date of delivery. Do not forget that this is only an approximate date. Only your baby knows when he will be born. It is possible to find out the gestational age by weeks and days quite accurately, but you should not rely on the date of birth.

Formula Negele

The Negele formula is the easiest way to find out the approximate date of birth.

  • We take the first day of your last period and subtract three months from it.
  • 7 days are added to the resulting date.
  • The final date is the approximate time when the baby will be born.

The exact period of pregnancy - is it really possible to know it

Most women are interested in the question of how to find out the exact term of pregnancy. Doing this at home is problematic, because any method deviates from the truth. If you want to get more reliable information, then you can do this in the following ways:

  • Ultrasound procedure.

The exact date of the ultrasound can only show in the early stages. The fact is that embryos develop equally only in the first 3-4 weeks after conception has occurred. Further, the embryo develops in each girl differently.

  • Gynecological examination.

How to find out the exact duration of pregnancy at a gynecological examination? The doctor measures the uterus, sometimes even determines the position of the fetus at this stage. From the data obtained, you can understand what week of pregnancy the woman is in, because the uterus is constantly changing and there are standards for how this should happen.

Boy or girl

It is not soon to do an ultrasound examination, and the expectant mother is already overwhelmed with interest, who will she give birth to - a boy or a girl? It is worth noting that ultrasound sometimes fails to determine the sex of the child. Some parents are happy about this, because they want a surprise, while others, on the contrary, want to know everything at once.

You can find out the sex of the baby in early pregnancy in the following ways:

  • By the intensity of sexual activity.

If the conception of a child occurred during the period when the couple was sexually active, then it is more likely that a boy will be born. The fact is that mobile "male" spermatozoa do not live very long. Therefore, when a man rarely has sexual intercourse, the body has a greater vitality of "female" sperm. This has been proven scientifically.

  • By the purity of blood.

The sex of the child is very often determined depending on which of the spouses has newer blood. It is believed that in women the blood is renewed once every 3 years, and in men every 4 years. If at the time when conception occurred, the man's blood is newer, then there will be a boy, if the woman has a girl.

  • According to the formula.

Our grandparents very often used the formula to determine the gender of their unborn child. It looks like this: 49-X + 1 + Y + 3. Y is the month of conception and X is the father's age. Plug in all the data and calculate what you get. If the number is odd, then the probability that a girl will be born is higher, and if it is even, a boy.

  • For a woman.

They say that if a woman becomes prettier during pregnancy, then she is expecting a boy, because boys take care of their mother and give her beauty. With girls, the situation is the opposite, they take away the beauty. Therefore, if you notice that the hair has become less frequent, the nails are peeling, the skin is dry - this means that, most likely, you will give birth to a representative of the fair sex.

Which method is most accurate

Every woman is interested in how to find out how long she is pregnant, and at least the approximate date when she will give birth. All of the above methods are good in their own way, but none of them can give you a clear answer to this question.

The fact is that each representative of the fair sex is special, like her body, and when the baby decides that he is ready to be born, only he himself knows. This can happen several weeks earlier if the fruit is ripe. If the baby is not yet ready to leave the womb, the pregnancy is delayed for several more weeks.

Now you know how to find out the term of pregnancy at home, as doctors do. Moreover, in the event that the ultrasound does not show the sex of the child, then thanks to the methods listed above, you can determine this yourself. Even if the result is unreliable, it is still interesting. After the baby is born, you can determine which method turned out to be true for you.