How Pregnant Am I? Here’s How Pregnancy Calculation Works!
These are all common questions women face when trying to work out how far into their pregnancy they are. Pregnancy is actually calculated from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). This is because most women can remember the date their period started but the ovulation date is less conspicuous. Also, sperm can live for several days and the egg is travelling towards the uterus for a few days so the moment in which the two meet is not easily tracked.
A full-term pregnancy lasts forty weeks and consists of three trimesters, each about 12 – 14 weeks. The due date is about 280 days from the LMP, which is about 40 weeks. This is really more like a “due estimate” since a woman can carry her baby well past her due date (up to two weeks) and still be considered healthy and “normal!” For more details, week by week – visit Babycenters website.
For a more accurate estimate of the due date, a dating scan usually occurs in the first trimester. Otherwise known as a vaginal ultrasound, this scan allows the doctor to determine exactly how many weeks pregnant a woman is by measuring the baby.
The baby’s heart begins beating around 20 days after conception or between five and six week’s gestation. The dating scan allows doctors to ensure a heartbeat, to check how many babies are actually there (sometimes they find more than one), the placement of the baby within the uterus and more.
If you are still asking yourself the question “Am I pregnant”, book an appointment with our team. Zoe’s Place provides free pregnancy testing so you can find out. Zoe’s Place offers FREE and confidential non-directive support to its clients. Pregnancy testing, mentoring, pre-decision counselling, and post-abortion counselling are some of the services Zoe’s Place provides.
You’re welcome to bring a friend, partner, or family member to your appointment where you can ask questions and access other services that our community provides.
Contact us today to schedule your appointment or to talk with one of our caring client support team members. Seeking peace of mind during what can be a difficult or confusing time of life is important and our goal is to give you a “safe place to pause.”