There’s a lot of confusion when it comes to your due date, how to calculate it, and understanding the pregnancy week guide, too. You’ll find that when you realize you’re pregnant, you’re probably already 4 weeks pregnant or so and sometimes even later. So how that can be possible? In this article, we’ll help you understand how to calculate your due date and why sometimes it can be inaccurate.
What is your due date?
Via: BabyCenter – Due date calculator
You’ve probably heard a lot of women and doctors throwing around the term ‘due date’ as if it is the most important aspect of pregnancy. So, what is the due date? Your due date is the last day of your pregnancy term on which your baby can arrive. For most people, this is usually around the time they’ll give birth; however, for others, they can end up giving birth a month or so before that date.
How is your due date calculated?
Doctors tend to calculate your due date by counting 40 weeks after the end of your last cycle. As it is very difficult to pinpoint the exact time your baby was conceived, your due date is most commonly calculated at the end of your last menstrual cycle. This is one of the reasons why the due date can be inaccurate. Also, other doctors tend to count a pregnancy term for 38 weeks assuming that you conceived in the middle of your cycle around the time of ovulation which occurs on day 14 of your cycle. That’s why you’ll find a few slight variations when it comes to due dates and how it is calculated.
One important factor to take note of is that the 9 months of pregnancy, when completed, ends up giving you 10 months of pregnancy and that’s why it is considered 40 weeks. In fact, once you enter the 9th month, you’re prone to go into labor at any point. However, your due date is usually the end of the term which is at the end of the 40th week.
To help you calculate your due date, you can use our due date calculator here and you’ll receive an approximate conception date and due date.
Further reading:
- How to Calculate Ovulation After Miscarriage
- Pregnancy Week By Week: Week 1 to 9
- Pregnancy Tests: When and How to Take a Pregnancy Test
Sources used in this article:
- Due date calculator – Rahet Bally
- Due date calculator – NHS
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