As soon as the pregnancy test comes back positive, the next thing soon-to-be moms want to know is their pregnancy "due date." But what is a due date?
Only an Estimate
A due date is an estimate as to when you can expect to deliver your baby, usually based on the date of your last menstrual period. But before you circle that date on your calendar, keep in mind that it is just an estimate; in fact, another term used for due date is "estimated due date," abbreviated EDD. Very few babies are actually born on their due dates. Most are born sometime within two weeks on either side of that date.
Several factors affect the accuracy of a due date: the length of a woman's menstrual cycle, her age, health, weight and the number of previous pregnancies all play a part. Even your ethnic background can affect your due date; Caucasian women tend to have longer gestations than non-Caucasian women.
Calculating a Pregnancy Due Date
Due dates are calculated by counting 40 weeks, or 280 days, from the date of your last menstrual period. The common formula used is to take the date of the first day of your last menstrual period, add seven days, and subtract 3 months. For example, if your last menstrual period started on October 7, your due date would be July 14.
If you are unsure of when your last period was, or if your periods are particularly irregular, there are other clues that can help to determine your due date. Ultrasounds are often used to look at fetal development to estimate a due date. However, the further along in a pregnancy, the less accurate this method is. Your doctor or midwife can also measure the height of your uterus or examine your cervix for changes that indicate how far along your pregnancy might be.
Although the progress of your pregnancy is measured from the date of your last menstrual period, conception actually occurs approximately 2 weeks after the date of your period, which can be confusing. This means that by the time your reach your 40th week of pregnancy, it' actually only been 38 weeks since your baby was conceived. The baby' age from the date of your last period is referred to as gestational age or menstrual age, while measuring from the date of conception is referred to as fetal age.
Because there are so many variables regarding due dates, it is really important to remember the "E"n the EDD; hat date is just an estimate.Babies arrive in their own time, when they are ready to be born.
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