How
do I go about calculating
my due date?
To
calculate your due date,
you need to add 266 days
or 38 weeks to the date
when you conceived or
assuming that your menstrual
cycles are 28 days in
length, add 280 days or
40 weeks to the first
day of your last menstrual
period. If your cycles
are longer or shorter
your doctor will decide
to adjust your due date
slightly. Likewise if
your cycles are erratic,
your due date may be adjusted
as your pregnancy progresses
and your doctor is better
able to judge your stage
of pregnancy by tracking
baby's development. (Fetal
development occurs in
a predictable and timely
fashion so an ultrasound
can be very helpful in
dating a pregnancy.) Bear
in mind your due date
is only an estimate. A
healthy pregnancy can
last anywhere from 38
to 42 weeks. Even though
your chances of delivering
on the due date are considerably
slim - 5% - your chances
of giving birth during
the week prior to or following
your due date are considerably
higher: about 85%. |
