How to calculate the pregnancy by conception date?

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Determine how many weeks does pregnancy developcan be in different ways. This article will tell you how to calculate the gestational age by the date of conception.

How is the calculation?

In order for conception to occur, an egg cell and a sperm cell are necessary - their fusion is called fertilization. This moment is considered the real beginning of pregnancy. The definition of the gestation period from the date of conception doctors call the most accurate, putting an important meaning in this concept.

In order for conception to take place, quite a few different conditions coincide. For this, the egg cell must be ripe and come out of the ovary, while spermatozoa must be active and capable of fertilization. The possibility of conception is also influenced by female hormones, the general condition of the body, and many different factors.

After the fusion of germ cells, they actively divide. This contributes to the fact that in a few days a small embryo will form that will “live” in the uterus for up to forty weeks. From the moment of conception, it is possible to determine the prenatal age - it will be equal to the duration of pregnancy, which is measured from the date of conception.

The duration of pregnancy can be calculated in different ways. Even the terminology used in setting the time varies. So, most women determine the duration of pregnancy in months, while doctors use another measurement system - for weeks. Both can be used in practice. The main thing is that the calculation was correct.

Normal pregnancy lasts from 38 to 40 weeks. During this time there is a development from a tiny embryo the size of just a few millimeters to a real person.

In cases where it is impossible to determine the exact date of conception and sexual intercourse, doctors use the date of the last menstruation. From this period, doctors begin to determine the obstetric duration of pregnancy. It is measured in weeks. It is the obstetric term that is reflected in the medical card of every pregnant woman, and the approach of labor is also determined by this indicator.

Since the moment of conception, the fetal life of the fetus is calculated. Doctors at the same time continue to use obstetric, which differs from the embryonic period, usually for a couple of weeks. Such a difference in measurements always causes confusion.

In order not to get confused, you should choose one of the options for counting. In this case, the conversation with the doctor regarding the duration of the pregnancy will occur "in the same language."

When a pregnant woman comes to the antenatal clinic, the obstetrician-gynecologist will surely ask her a series of questions that will allow him to more accurately calculate the duration of the pregnancy. So, the doctor will ask when there was the last menstruation, what is the estimated date of conception (the last unprotected sexual intercourse), and also specify the average duration of the cycle. All these indicators will help the specialist to calculate the duration of pregnancy, as well as the expected term of future birth.

It is important to note that All these calculations are approximate. They are necessary for the doctor in order to monitor changes in fetal development and monitor the progress of a particular pregnancy.

Ways to determine the date

You can determine the gestational age by the date of conception independently or with the help of an online calculator. The first way is suitable for women who love calculations and math. The use of an online calculator will appeal to women who experience difficulties and problems with mathematical operations. The interactive calculator will do everything on its own.

Determine the duration of pregnancy yourself

For starters, you should definitely remember the day on which unprotected sexual intercourse happened. It is very important not to guess, but to remember exactly. If there were several sexual acts and on different days, then you should not use this method of determining the duration of pregnancy. The result obtained in this case in any case will not be reliable, but only indicative.

If the exact date of unprotected intercourse is known, proceed to the second stage, that is, start the calculations. The first day of pregnancy is considered the immediate day of conception. From it all subsequent days are considered.

To calculate the duration of pregnancy in days is a meaningless task. It is best to add days to weeks.

If it is convenient to use the monthly system, then it can also be used. Thus, 28 days from the moment of conception of the baby are 4 weeks. At the same time, we note once again that this term is called embryonic.

The exact date of conception can also be accurately determined when carrying out the method of in vitro fertilization. With IVF, the date of fertilization of the egg is necessarily recorded in the medical records. Counting the duration of pregnancy in this case is quite simple. Also from the date of conception, you can calculate the estimated date of the upcoming delivery.

We use an interactive calculator

Not all future moms love math and counting. In order to make life easier for them, various online calculators were invented - with their help, you can easily and easily calculate the expected duration of pregnancy. To do this, you do not need to enter any personal data - just need to keep the date of the last menstruation and the date of unprotected sexual intercourse.

With the help of this interactive assistant, any expectant mother can easily calculate the week of pregnancy. In the work of the calculator uses the above calendar method of calculating the period. Automatic counting is fairly accurate. After a few seconds, the result of how much of the week of pregnancy now appears on the monitor screen.

Benefits

The method of determining the duration of pregnancy by the date of conception is used for a long time. According to statistics, it is used by an overwhelming number of pregnant women. Such popularity of the method is largely due to its availability and simplicity. To calculate the gestational age, you do not need to additionally buy something or resort to modern diagnostic methods. It is possible to determine the gestational age by the date of conception in comfortable conditions, without leaving your own apartment.

In order to carry out the counting, a minimum of additional things is necessary. To do this, you need only a regular calendar, in which the dates of all menstruations are marked. Do not dwell on the fact that such a calendar is worth keeping every woman of reproductive age. In addition to the beginning of menstruation, unprotected sexual acts can be marked in this calendar. In the future, this will help to remember when conception could have happened.

It is easy enough to use this method for women who have an irregular sex life. In this case, the date of sexual intercourse, which became the cause of pregnancy, is quite simple to determine. If after the last menstrual period there was only one sexual intercourse, then it is he who will be counted.

It is important to note that the exact date of conception allows you to determine quite accurately the duration of pregnancy. Possible inaccuracy in this case, as a rule, is 3-4 days. Let us dwell on this in more detail.

So, if a woman knows for sure the date of unprotected intercourse that caused the pregnancy, then the countdown of the duration of the pregnancy is calculated from her. In this case, an error of 3-4 days appears due to the fact that spermatozoa can remain viable in the female genital tract for some time. On average, they persist for about 72 hours.

Also, the egg cell can remain ready for fertilization for several days. Thus, it turns out that the total error in determining the exact duration of pregnancy with this calculation is 3-4 days.

Possible inaccuracies and errors

A woman who leads a regular sex life, use this method more difficult. In this case, to establish a specific sexual intercourse, after which the pregnancy occurred, it is quite difficult. Very often this situation occurs in couples who really want to become parents and are sexually active.

In this case, the accuracy of determining the duration of pregnancy precisely by the date of conception is a rather difficult task. To use the described method of determining the duration of pregnancy by the date of conception in such a situation should not be. Better to know the term using other methods.

In this case, as a rule, the obstetric duration of pregnancy is calculated for the last menstruation. Determining the exact gestational age greatly helps in the future in making a forecast and determining the date of the upcoming birth. This date is also computed by obstetrician-gynecologists and recorded in medical records.

It is possible to determine the duration of pregnancy in the event of an impossible determination of the exact date of conception using modern ultrasound techniques. The ultrasound specialist, while conducting the study, will quite accurately determine the estimated fetal age of the embryo. Appointed to conduct such a study, as a rule, after a clinical examination of the doctor.

How to calculate the pregnancy in weeks, and calculate the date of birth for the last menstruation, see the following video.

Find out what happens to mother and baby every week of pregnancy.
Information provided for reference purposes. Do not self-medicate. At the first symptoms of the disease, consult a doctor.

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