How to correctly and accurately determine the duration of pregnancy?

Without an ultrasound examination, it is impossible to imagine the course and management of pregnancy. This method allows you to answer a number of questions from obstetricians:

• fetal condition;
• presence of developmental defects;
• intensity of uteroplacental blood flow and others;
• structure of the “children's place”.

Pregnant women are often concerned about two questions: is everything okay with the baby and how many gestational weeks are there already? And hence the interest arises in how the gestational age is determined by ultrasound and how accurate it is.

How to determine gestational age

The exact gestational age is important for a planned caesarean section (to avoid premature surgery) if the pregnant woman has diabetes (complications may arise during childbirth if the fetus is larger than normal).

Determining the gestational age allows you to timely diagnose deviations from the norm, fetal development disorders (for example, Down syndrome) and accurately determine the date of birth. When the doctor knows the due date, ultrasound can be used to compare generally accepted characteristics and indicators of fetal development with a specific pregnancy. So, how to correctly determine the gestational age?

It would seem that independently determining the deadline is a simple matter. The following calculation formula is generally accepted: 280 days (40 weeks, 9 calendar months or 10 obstetric months) must be added to the number of the first day of the last menstruation. Basically, determining the approximate date of birth is simplified: from the first day of the last menstruation, 3 months are counted back and 7 days are added to the resulting number. For example, the beginning of the last menstruation fell on December 15, then by counting 3 months ago (September 15) and adding 7 days, the date of birth (September 22) is obtained.

But this formula does not always give an accurate result. The characteristics of the body of a woman and a developing child can make significant adjustments. 280 days is the average length of pregnancy, however, in each case there may be variations ranging from 38 to 42 weeks. A 2-week variation is normal. As a rule, girls are born a little earlier than boys, who, on the contrary, are in no hurry to get acquainted with the world around them.

Determination of gestational age by conception

You can find out the gestational age by the date of conception or the day of ovulation. The chance of getting pregnant during ovulation is very high. The main difficulty is that in the first days and sometimes weeks of pregnancy there are no reliable signs. And although a number of signs are used to determine it, the exact date of fertilization still remains speculative, since the signs themselves are mostly speculative (especially in the early weeks).

Conceiving a child is the fusion of sperm and egg, which occurs within a day or two after ovulation. Some women can determine it on their own based on some symptoms, others purchase special tests to identify it, and still others measure their basal temperature - the temperature in the rectum.

The first half of the menstrual cycle is characterized by a temperature of no more than 37°C. The day before ovulation, the temperature will drop slightly, then rise to 37-37.2°C. Thanks to this, it is possible to calculate the exact day of conception, provided that it occurred during the measurement period. For those women who feel the onset of ovulation and know the day of conception, it is easiest to independently determine the date of pregnancy.

But even with an accurate calculation of the day of conception (if sexual intercourse was only once), for a number of reasons gynecologists set the period longer than 2 weeks. Women consider this a sign of carrying a large child. But in the early weeks, the size of the embryos is practically the same. Gynecologists simply state the gestational age (gestation period). The date of future birth is calculated from it. Therefore, knowing the date by the day of conception is interesting not for the doctor, but for the woman herself. By the way, some women keep their own calendar. Then it will be interesting to compare the calendar and doctor’s dates and determine which was more accurate.

Electronic test

How to find out the exact date of conception if you have an irregular cycle and you are at a loss? A convenient, relatively new development - an electronic test - will help. How to find out the date of conception of a child using this device? It is extremely simple to use, just like a regular test that only shows stripes. The electronic test will indicate an approximate, but still quite truthful period, just subtract the number of days, and a more accurate date of conception will be determined. Look at the cycle in your calendar, “try on” the date calculated using the test, and correct the calculation by moving the date to the day of ovulation.

How to determine the gestational age by the baby's first movement

An important parameter in the course of pregnancy is the first movement of the unborn child. After all, doctors, as you know, take into account the future due date depending on the results of an ultrasound in the first trimester and the date of the baby’s first movement. Women who give birth for the first time feel such movements at the 20th week, and multiparous women a little earlier - at the 18th week.

But often first-time mothers and those giving birth again feel the baby’s movements already from 15-16 weeks, although some expectant mothers may not feel the movements of the fetus until 21-22 weeks. This is due to the activity of the child, its position in the uterus, as well as the sensitivity of the walls of the uterus. In addition, many women perceive increased bowel movements as baby movements. In addition, expectant mothers often experience increased gas formation.

How to find out gender?

On the Internet, on the advice of friends and relatives, many couples want to find out the sex of the child. By date of conception, by blood type, by positions used - there are so many methods! Whether to trust them or not is a purely personal matter, but you can still try. It is easier to find out the gender of the child by the date of conception; for this, tables were created by the sages of the East. Some of them, such as the Chinese one, are more than seven centuries old and are kept in museums. You don’t need to go to Beijing to look at this sign; we bring it to your attention in this publication.

Determining the gestational age by week when examined by a doctor

When a pregnant woman comes to the doctor for the first time, the gynecologist always examines her in a chair. An inspection helps determine how long it is and identify existing problems. Good doctors accurately determine the duration of pregnancy (up to half a week), as well as the location of the fetus in the uterus.

You need to know that during a gynecological examination of a woman with a delay of 3-4 weeks, that is, at 5-6 weeks of pregnancy, a slight enlargement of the uterus is observed. Its size is approximately the same as a chicken egg. And at the 8th week the uterus is already the size of a goose egg. At 10 weeks of pregnancy it is the size of a woman's fist. After 12-14 weeks, the doctor can easily determine the size of the uterus. In this case, we are talking about the length of the uterus during examination of a woman on the couch. In this case, the gynecologist uses a measuring tape.

Determination of gestational age by ultrasound

As a rule, the first ultrasound examination is prescribed at 12-14 weeks of pregnancy. But in these weeks it is difficult to establish its accuracy, since in all expectant mothers the embryos develop equally only in the first weeks after conception. Then the doctor can determine the period with an accuracy of 1 day, and in the absence of a heartbeat, clarify the location of the child. And if any abnormalities are detected during an ultrasound, a repeat examination is scheduled after a week or 10 days to more accurately determine pathologies and exclude a missed abortion.

That is, by ultrasound it is possible to determine the period only in the early weeks. During the next two ultrasounds, the doctor will set the deadline depending on the parameters of the child’s body parts and his head. But do not forget that the second half of pregnancy is the individual development of children. After all, it is normal for boys and girls to be born at term weighing 2800 g and 4000 g.

How to determine the gestational age using hCG

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is one of the important indicators of the presence of pregnancy and its normal course. HCG is a hormone produced in a woman’s body after the implantation of the fertilized egg into the wall of the uterus, that is, after implantation of the embryo. This occurs already 6-8 days after fertilization of the female egg. The presence of this hormone in the blood and urine forms the basis of pregnancy testing. Conventional tests sold in pharmacies detect the presence of this hormone with two strips.

In the first trimester, this hormone stimulates the production of estrogen and progesterone, two female hormones necessary to maintain a normal pregnancy. In the first weeks, hCG levels double approximately every 2-3 days. Increasing it by 60% in 2 days is the norm. The longer the period becomes, the less the increase in hCG levels. At 8-9 weeks of pregnancy, the hCG level stops growing. On the contrary, it begins to decline at a slow pace.

By the way, in case of multiple births, the level of the hormone increases depending on the number of fetuses. If there are 2 fetuses, then the hCG level will be 2 times higher than normal. Generally accepted, standard norms of this hormone are considered the main determinants of this period.

It must be taken into account that the hCG period does not coincide with the obstetric one. This happens because pregnancy is determined by human chorionic gonadotropin relative to the day of conception. It reflects the age of the unborn child. But obstetric calculations are determined by the doctor regarding the date of the last menstruation and are not related to the day the baby was conceived.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZMlagcfKjs

So, with all of the above options it is quite possible to accurately determine the duration of pregnancy. However, it is worth considering that even with the most correct calculations, a child can be born earlier or later. Therefore, the main task of the expectant mother is to do everything possible for the normal course of pregnancy and the safe birth of the baby.

Source: JLady.ru

Study in the first trimester

Of particular interest to women is the procedure in the early period. The goal is to confirm the fact of pregnancy. For ultrasound to be informative, it is necessary to take such points into account. Firstly, preference should be given to transvaginal examination. It allows you to detect the fertilized egg several days earlier than the transabdominal method.

Secondly, diagnosis should be carried out no earlier than 4–5 days of missed menstruation. On the 2nd–3rd day of absence of expected menstruation, it is sometimes possible to visualize the fertilized egg using expert-class devices.

To be sure that the ultrasound is informative, you should take a blood test for human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) the day before. When the level of the substance is above 2–2.5 thousand units, you can safely go for a transvaginal examination. It will be informative.

From 3 to 12–13 weeks, the gestational period is determined by measuring the embryo.

Table 1.

Already starting from weeks 5–6, the importance of clarifying the presented parameter decreases. This is replaced by an assessment of the coccygeal-parietal size (CTP). The diameter of the fetal egg continues to be determined until 8-9 weeks when examined transabdominally. This is due to the fact that detailed visualization and measurement of CTE in this way is difficult.

The latter method has great accuracy in determining the duration of pregnancy, especially at 11–13 weeks.

Photo: how CTE is calculated.

It is during this period that the first screening examination is recommended. Cardiotocography data depending on the week of the “interesting situation” is presented below.

Table 2.

Why do you need to know it?

Probably no woman wants her expected due date to be a complete surprise. By determining the gestational age with maximum accuracy, you can promptly monitor the development and growth of the baby, prevent the occurrence of pathologies, and determine the time of maternity leave.

Although the truism is that pregnancy lasts 9 months, doctors use a different system for calculating the period. For each woman, the period of intrauterine development of her child can range from 37 to 42 weeks.

Do you know at what stage of pregnancy you yourself were born? If not, then ask your mom. There is a high probability that your baby will be born around the same period. An interesting fact is that girls turn out to be more nimble and are often born at 38-39 weeks, while boys patiently “wait” for the due date.

Grandmother's method of gender recognition

People of the older generation are able to determine the gender of the unborn baby just by looking at the mother. They say that girls take away their beauty, but boys add it! If you have pimples, the contours of your face are blurred, then most likely you will give birth to a daughter. If the skin has become healthier in appearance, acne has disappeared, the contours of the face have become clearer, then expect a son!

You can also look at the tummy. Boys live in straight, straight bellies. If you look at the expectant mother from the back, the pregnancy will not be noticeable, since the entire belly has leaned forward. Girls distribute their belly to the sides, it does not protrude forward much, but it spreads well to the sides!

You can also follow your desires. Boys are less whimsical, and you won’t want to try fresh watermelon in the middle of winter, and even at night. This is for example. If you notice that there is a need to eat something that you would not normally consume, you can assume that you are expecting the birth of a daughter.

We hope that this publication will not only be interesting, but also useful. We wish you and your little ones great health, and this is more important than gender!

Why are there different deadlines?

Before calculating the date of birth, you need to understand what obstetric and true gestational age is. The first question doctors ask during an examination is the day the last menstruation began. Many women are puzzled why the doctor recorded the gestational age two weeks later.

The thing is that the obstetric period is calculated from the first day of the start of menstruation, although conception itself usually occurs two weeks after this date. Don’t be surprised by this method of calculation, because the period of egg maturation begins immediately after the start of a new menstrual period. The gynecologist determines and records the period by week.

The true period of “interesting position” is calculated from the day of ovulation. Typically, a woman’s body is ready to conceive a new life in the middle of the menstrual cycle. With a standard cycle length of 28-36 days, ovulation occurs on days 13-16. But ovulation is not menstruation and it cannot always be determined with one hundred percent accuracy.

Although there are many ladies, especially those who passionately want a child, who listen sensitively to their body and can, based on certain signs, determine the cherished day with precision. During this period, vaginal discharge may increase and basal body temperature may rise.

In addition, ovulation can be determined by ultrasound. But to do this, you need to go to the study for several days in a row, which, you see, is not possible.

And again we remember the regular cycle. If it works like a clock, then ovulation can be calculated with an accuracy of 2-3 days. Then the average duration of pregnancy is added to this date, that is, 280 days. This will be the baby's likely birthday.

Although we must also take into account that the day of conception and the day of sexual intercourse may not coincide! Spermatozoa remain active for up to 5 days. For example, sexual intercourse occurred on the 11th day of the cycle, and ovulation and conception occurred on the 12th or even 14th day.

Determining the due date for a gynecological examination

I would like to note right away that at the first signs of pregnancy you should immediately go to the doctor. Why is this so important to do?

• you will verify your assumptions;
• you will undergo the necessary tests to find out whether your baby is developing correctly;
• they will tell you how to eat properly and organize your daily routine;
• you will find out the most accurate gestational age.

If your first visit to the gynecologist takes place after the eighth week, it will be more difficult to determine the exact period. If you consulted a doctor in the early stages (this is 3-4 weeks), then it will not be difficult for an experienced specialist to determine how long you have been pregnant. When examining and interviewing the expectant mother, the due date can be determined in the following ways:

1. three months are subtracted from the first day of menstruation and seven days are added, the resulting date will be the expected day of birth;
2. the period is determined by the size of the uterus (at the 4th week it is compared to a chicken egg, and at the 8th week it is compared to a medium-sized apple);
3. The height of the uterine fundus, which is calculated by measuring the distance from the pubis to the top of the uterus, will help determine the period;
4. What matters is swelling of the labia and a change in the color of the vaginal walls to dark red or violet-bluish;
5. There is a change in the shape of the ovary, which enlarges on one side due to the so-called corpus luteum.

Each of these methods has its drawbacks. The first gives accurate data only if the woman has a regular menstrual cycle. What if your periods are intermittent, for example, with polycystic ovary syndrome? Then this method will not tell you much. The size of the uterus may indicate a longer period than it actually is (for example, in the presence of fibroids). The uterine fundus may be higher than normal in case of a narrow pelvis or multiple pregnancy.

How to tell if pregnancy has occurred?

If you miss your period (you are late), this may be a sign that conception has occurred. Before the delay occurs, you can take a blood test that will show the amount of human chorionic gonadotropin, a hormone that increases sharply during pregnancy.

If there are no periods, then a test is purchased. The presence of a negative answer does not guarantee the absence of a fetus; the test may simply be faulty, or your period is still too short, and the hormone has not had time to be produced in the required quantity.

If the tests consistently show a negative result, contact your antenatal clinic to see a gynecologist; you may have a hormonal imbalance.

How does ultrasound determine the date?

What if an exact determination of the period is required or the woman does not remember the date of the start of her last period? In this case, ultrasound will come to the rescue. Often, expectant mothers are wary of it; they worry that such a procedure will harm the child. There is not the slightest reason for concern; ultrasound is absolutely harmless at any stage.

Typically, a planned ultrasound is not prescribed immediately, but at 12-16 weeks. In this case, there is no need to pin hopes on an exact determination of the period. If you want to know the most accurate age of intrauterine development of your baby, feel free to do an ultrasound at 5-6 weeks.

The period is set taking into account its average internal diameter. At an early stage, ultrasound determines the due date quite accurately, because all embryos are still approximately the same size.

Ultrasound in the second trimester determines the period by the circumference of the fetal head or the diameter of its chest. Also install:

• distance between the temporal bones;
• thigh length;
• tummy circumference;
• fronto-occipital size.

Reliable information is provided by the dimensions of the child’s femur and humerus bones. In this case, the height and physique of the parents are taken into account. But very often the period determined by the ultrasound may differ by 1-2 weeks from what is written in the card. Data on the size of the fetus depend on the individual characteristics of the child.

How does hCG determine the period?

HCG is a unique hormone that is produced exclusively in pregnant women. Its very presence in the blood and urine already indicates that the mystery of the birth of a new life has happened. Pregnancy tests, which are sold in regular pharmacies, are based on the hCG hormone.

The production of hCG begins almost immediately after the implantation of the embryo into the uterus, and it can be detected in sufficient quantities already on the 6th day after conception. Subsequently, its level rapidly increases until the 8th week.

During this period, it doubles every 2-3 days, on the basis of which the gestational age is determined. After the 9th week, the hCG level begins to gradually decrease and ceases to serve as a guide.

I would like to note that the period according to the hCG level always differs from the obstetric one, since the first takes into account the date of conception, and the second - the first day of the onset of menstruation. By the way, there were some exceptions here too. During pregnancy with twins, the hCG level is also twice as high as normal.

If the hCG level is too low compared to the obstetric period, this may be a warning sign. It is likely that an ectopic pregnancy has occurred or the fetus has died.

Ultrasonography

It is quite difficult to find out the date of conception by ultrasound, since this procedure is only necessary to confirm the obstetric “verdict”. Your day of conception will still be set to the day your last period began.

It is easy to find out the due date by the date of conception. Establishing the due date is much more difficult; it is calculated based on many factors. This is an obstetric guess for the day of conception, forty weeks are counted from it. The baby can be born at the 37th, 42nd, or 28th week. An ultrasound will also not indicate reliable dates of birth, only the period in which the baby is expected to be born. The weight of the fetus, the first movement and many other factors are also taken into account.

Determining the due date by fetal movement

What could be more pleasant for a young mother than hearing the “fuss” of her baby in her tummy for the first time? At what time can you hear it? At first, his movements are so weak that they can only be recognized by listening carefully. Gradually they intensify so much that they can even wake up mom at night. But this moment is still far away; the first movement of the fetus occurs at 18-20 weeks.

The first activity is noticed by ultrasound at the 8th week, but the baby is still too small for the mother to catch these movements. Normally, during the first pregnancy, a woman feels movement exactly halfway through the term - that is, at the 20th week, and with all subsequent ones, a little earlier - at the 18th.

Therefore, the day when the baby first announces itself must be remembered and reported to your doctor. The fact of the child's movement is even more important when the woman does not remember the day the last menstruation began.

There are often cases when a nursing mother becomes pregnant before her period begins and for the first months she is not even aware of her situation. In this case, the child’s first activity will become the main guideline for doctors to determine the due date.

Determining the date of birth by the first movement is a fairly reliable way, although some mothers may mistakenly mistake the various activities of their intestines for the baby's kicks.

In late pregnancy, the baby's activity decreases. Many mothers are very worried about this. Of course, it is necessary to tell the doctor about your feelings, but in most cases he will reassure you. The child is already quite big, he is cramped in his mother’s belly. Rare fetal kicks also serve as a signal that there is no more than a month left before birth.

How is it, you ask, that there is not a single way to determine the duration of pregnancy with an accuracy of one day? Is it really necessary to know the exact day and hour? Knowing the approximate date, you will have time to fully prepare for such an important day, and your child may present a small surprise!

It was very nice to talk to you again! See you again!

Source: nadezhda30.ru

Obstetric gestational age is calculated from the first day of the last menstruation. Of course, there is no pregnancy itself at this time, but this calculation of the period has its historical justification. In very distant times, nothing was known about ovulation (the time when an egg is released from the ovary), but they knew that when menstruation arrives, a woman is not pregnant. It was calculated that from this day until the birth, 280 days pass - 40 weeks - 10 obstetric months, thus, such a calculation of the date of birth and, accordingly, the gestational age took root in human, and then in obstetric practice. To calculate the date of birth, you can add 280 days to the date of menstruation, but it is easier to add 7 days to the first day of the last menstruation and subtract 3 months. For example, the last menstruation was October 1, 2006 (10/1/06). Expected due date: 1+7=8 and 10-3=7, i.e. July 8, 2007 (07/08/07). The most suitable moment for conception is the time of ovulation, that is, the release of an egg from the ovary. With a 28-day cycle, ovulation usually occurs on day 14. At this time, the probability of getting pregnant is maximum. Taking into account the lifespan of a sperm (it reaches 3-5 days, very rarely 7 days), pregnancy can occur as early as the 9th day from the start of menstruation. The egg has a lifespan of 1 day, so already a day after ovulation, the time for conception is missed, and the time for “safe sex” comes. If the menstrual cycle is shorter (21-24 days), then ovulation occurs earlier - on days 10-12; if the cycle is long (32-35 days), then ovulation usually occurs on days 16-18 from the start of menstruation. For example, menstruation began on March 10, the cycle is 28 days. We expect ovulation on March 24, the suitable time for conception will be the period from March 19 to 24, pregnancy is also possible on March 25, but from March 26 it is unlikely. If the cycle is 24 days, then with menstruation from March 10, ovulation is possible on March 20-21, conception from March 15 to 21-22. With a cycle of 32-35 days, the beginning of menstruation on March 10, ovulation should be expected on March 26-28, conception is possible from March 21 to 28. Ovulation can be more accurately determined by measuring the temperature in the rectum (basal temperature). The temperature is measured in the morning, at the same time, without getting out of bed, with a thermometer inserted 5 cm into the rectum; measurement time 10 minutes. With daily measurements, a graph of basal temperature is obtained, in which before ovulation the temperature is less than 37.0 ° C (usually 36.5-36.7 ° C), and after - above 37.0 ° C (37.0-37.2 ° C), the day before the temperature rise is the time of ovulation. If measurements are taken over 3 months, the day of ovulation can be known in advance. So, if the date of conception or the day of ovulation is known, then the gestational age can be determined more accurately. You just need to remember that then we will be talking about the true (embryological) period of pregnancy, and the real duration of pregnancy is 266 days - 38 weeks - 9.5 obstetric months, i.e. childbirth should be expected after the specified time from conception (ovulation). With a normal (28 days) menstrual cycle, there should be no difference in the date of birth when calculating by menstruation and by conception. However, if the cycle is irregular, shorter or longer than 28 days, then the differences can be significant: if the cycle is short, then the true gestational age will be longer than expected by menstruation; if the cycle is more than 28 days, then childbirth will occur later than expected by menstruation.

Source: touch.otvet.mail.ru

23 weeks pregnant

So, you are 23 weeks pregnant. The development of the fetus continues at this stage; in size it already resembles a small eggplant and weighs about half a kilogram. Due to the small amount of brown subcutaneous fat and very thin skin, his face and body are still thin and wrinkled. A baby at the 23rd week of pregnancy behaves very actively, the expectant mother clearly feels his movements and can determine exactly where he is. If the child pushes unusually hard, too often, or, on the contrary, his movements begin to be felt less frequently or disappear altogether, immediately consult your doctor. It will help identify and eliminate the causes of impaired fetal motor activity.

The 23rd week of pregnancy imposes certain restrictions on the expectant mother’s workload. During this period, you should not lift weights or overexert yourself; it is advisable to use a bandage for pregnant women. Despite the constantly expanding belly, at the 23rd week of pregnancy it is recommended not to reduce physical activity and spend more time in the fresh air to provide the baby with good oxygen nutrition. Fetal hypoxia is a serious problem; to prevent it, you must follow all the recommendations of your doctor and try to avoid stressful situations.

At this stage, constipation may become a frequent “guest” in a pregnant woman. Try to eat foods rich in fiber, stay hydrated, and don’t forget about physical activity. Remember that timely cleansing of the intestines is the key to the well-being of the expectant mother. Another trouble that continues to accompany most pregnant women is heartburn and discomfort in the epigastric region. The growing uterus at 23 weeks of pregnancy puts pressure on the organs, and the hydrochloric acid contained in the stomach enters the esophagus and causes a burning sensation.

It is very important for a young mother to take care of her own health and strengthen her immune system, since during this period it is extremely undesirable to suffer from viral and infectious diseases, especially the flu. A child in the womb of a mother with influenza is susceptible to such a dangerous phenomenon as delayed fetal development and various pathologies of the nervous system.

Source: www.7ya.ru

Determination of gestational age

Why do you need to know your gestational age??

PREGNANCY TIME is the main thing a gynecologist needs to know for proper and high-quality pregnancy management in patients. Based on the gestational age , the doctor will timely prescribe all the necessary examinations and tests, will monitor the intrauterine development of the baby and will be able to promptly notice possible pathologies in the development of pregnancy and the physical condition of the unborn child. For example, ultrasound for diagnostic purposes must be carried out in strictly designated periods of time - these are 12,20,32 weeks. Therefore, correctly calculating the gestational age is very important.

DETERMINING THE DATE OF PREGNANCY helps to calculate the date of birth with an accuracy of one day. And this is an important point. Premature and late births can have the most negative impact on the baby’s health. Determining the duration of pregnancy is necessary for gynecologists in order to determine the exact date a woman will go on maternity leave (30 weeks).

It is clear that the woman herself is interested in knowing the exact date of her pregnancy and childbirth in order to prepare for the birth of the child in time and buy items of clothing.

Determining gestational age by ovulation and date of conception

Ovulation is the very period of the menstrual cycle when conception of a child can occur. During ovulation, a mature egg is released from a woman’s ovary into the fallopian tube and “awaits” sperm there. Unprotected sexual intercourse at such a time in a more or less healthy woman and man will most likely lead to pregnancy. The date of ovulation is used to determine the duration of pregnancy .

A woman ovulates around the middle of her menstrual cycle (but not every month). If your menstrual cycle is 28 days, then ovulation will occur somewhere on the 14th day, with a 35-day menstrual cycle - on the 17-18th day of the cycle. The exact duration of pregnancy should be counted starting from the day of ovulation.

Ovulation can also be determined at home, using special tests sold in almost any pharmacy, or by regularly measuring basal temperature (temperature in the rectum). Throughout the first half of the cycle it will remain at approximately the same level - below 37 degrees. The day before ovulation it will decrease slightly. And on the day of ovulation and on all subsequent days you will maintain a level of 37-37.2 degrees. Thus, you can calculate the duration of pregnancy if it began during the menstrual cycle when you determined ovulation.

There are women who can determine their ovulation without any tests or temperature measurements, simply by subjective sensations - pain in the lower abdomen, increased libido, increased amount of vaginal discharge. It is easy for such sensitive women to determine the duration of pregnancy on their own.

The most accurate way to determine the gestational age by the date of ovulation is ultrasound. This is the only way to accurately see ovulation. But it’s problematic to go for an ultrasound every day for a week, or even longer. And financially, such “pleasure” will not be available to every woman. Trying to determine your ovulation only so that you can later accurately calculate the duration of your pregnancy is inappropriate. There are simpler ways to calculate the gestational age already, in fact, after the onset of an interesting situation.

Determining the duration of pregnancy by the date of the last menstruation.

The most well-known method among doctors and ordinary people for determining the duration of pregnancy is calculation using the Naegele formula. In general, this method is designed to determine the due date , not pregnancy , but the second can be easily calculated using it. In order to determine the due date it is necessary to subtract 3 months from the first day of the last menstruation and add seven days. And in accordance with the received date of birth, you can already calculate the duration of your pregnancy .

Determining the gestational age by gynecological examination.

If you come for an examination to a gynecologist in the first weeks of pregnancy (at 3-4 weeks), then it will not be difficult for the doctor to accurately determine the gestational age . In this case, the gestational age is determined based on the size of the uterus. For example, at 4 weeks of pregnancy the size of the uterus can be compared to a chicken egg, at 8 weeks - to a goose egg. An experienced gynecologist is able to determine the gestational age through a vaginal examination with an accuracy of one day. the gestational age beyond 8-12 weeks simply based on the size of the uterus. Since starting from the second trimester of pregnancy, the size of the uterus may differ stage of pregnancy

Establishing the gestational age using ultrasound.

Determining the gestational age using the results of an ultrasound examination is possible with great accuracy, provided that the examination is performed in the early stages of pregnancy - up to 8-12 weeks. The gestational age will be determined at each ultrasound, but the accuracy of this method will decrease with each subsequent week of pregnancy, since each child, even in utero, develops in its own way, each with its own constitutional characteristics.

It is the inaccuracy of calculating the gestational age on ultrasound at 20 weeks or more that is so traumatic for pregnant women. Doctors often make a diagnosis such as intrauterine growth retardation, although there is no such thing as such. Perhaps the pregnancy was initially set incorrectly or the baby is simply small. Non-existent fetal growth restriction (and a shorter gestational age ) is more often diagnosed in women with a fragile physique. But if you think logically, a child born on time can normally weigh 2.8 kg or 4 kg. Accordingly, the ultrasound parameters of such children will vary. to pay attention to the gestational age established by ultrasound in the second and third trimester.

Determining the gestational age by the first movement.

Primipara women begin to feel the first movements of the baby at 20 weeks of pregnancy Multiparous women a little earlier - at 18 weeks. Gynecologists recommend that a woman remember the date of her first movement and be sure to include it in the pregnant woman’s dispensary card. when determining the due date of pregnancy and childbirth. For example, in order to determine the date of birth , you need to add 20 weeks (or 4.5 months) to the date of the first movement; for multiparous women, you need to add 18 weeks or 5 months.

But this method of determining the gestational age is not always correct. There are women who, even in their first pregnancy , feel the baby’s movements much earlier than the due date of 20 weeks, 17 weeks, or even earlier. Especially often such early movements are observed in thin women. There are women who feel the first movements 2 weeks later than expected.

Doctors have their own opinion regarding such early movements and setting the gestational age . Most experts believe that women before the due date do not feel the baby’s movements at all, but the “work” of the intestines. After all, as you know, most pregnant women suffer from increased gas formation...

Determination of gestational age by measuring the length of the uterus and fetus.

calculate the gestational age in a more complex way. Only a gynecologist can make such a calculation. You are unlikely to succeed on your own. So, in order to measure the length of the uterus, a woman lies down on the couch and straightens her legs. It is necessary to empty the bladder first, otherwise errors in determining the duration of pregnancy . The length of the uterus is measured using a centimeter tape or a pelvis gauge. Usually the length of the uterus is equal to the number of weeks. For example, the length of the uterus is 36 cm, which means the gestational age is also 36 weeks.

Source: www.baby.ru

Survey histories

On the Internet you can now find reviews from forums for pregnant women. The main part of the discussions, of course, concerns the definition of an “interesting position”, its duration and the gender of the child. Most of the stories are banal (they didn’t see the pregnancy at the beginning of the gestational period, the ultrasound weeks do not coincide with the obstetric ones), but there are also unique stories.

More than expected

22.06.2016

Now happy mother Ksenia shares her review that before 32 weeks of pregnancy she and her husband were expecting their first child. The thought that the child was not alone there did not appear at all. True, the stomach was too big, and the hCG level was high in the early stages. But this did not bother the doctors, so the parents were not worried. Ultrasound was performed at the established screening times twice. At 33 weeks, the doctor, upon examination and listening to the heartbeat, had doubts and sent me for an ultrasound examination. As a result, they found the “lost” second child, who was not noticed either at the first or at the subsequent ultrasound.

Twins are enough

06.06.2015

But Anna already had 2 embryos at the first ultrasound screening. The happy parents waited long enough for twins - up to 28 weeks. It was at this stage that the ultrasound doctor said with surprise that there was a third child. Everyone agreed that, having discovered the second fetus, the doctor at the first ultrasound did not continue the search, but focused on a detailed study of these two.

And the fibroid is moving

12.12.2016

Tatiana's ultrasound showed that her menstruation was delayed for 5 days. The hope of a long-awaited pregnancy glimmered. But the ultrasound result was not pleasing, but quite upsetting - fibroids, 6 mm. This is how the doctor explained the cycle disorders and advised me to go to a gynecologist. Tatyana never got to see the doctor: either she didn’t have the strength or the time.

The discovered tumor, although benign, drove me into depression. Like many women, I began to “eat” my stress. This explained her weight gain. And the absence of menstruation, Tatyana consoled herself with the growing tumor. But I still had to go to the doctors, albeit a little later.

After 4 months, the woman felt strange tremors in her stomach. She couldn’t explain them to herself. The therapist already recommended undergoing an ultrasound examination, which confirmed the presence of an “interesting situation” at 20–21 weeks.

That’s how funny it all turned out: the fibroid turned out to be a fertilized egg, and the strange sensations in the stomach turned out to be the baby’s movements.

The climax has arrived

31.01.2016

The fact that menopause occurs is not surprising. Especially if the age has exceeded 40. Many try to slow down the processes, some try to stop them, while others take it for granted and don’t pay attention (“What’s the point of running to doctors in vain?”).

So Nina decided that at 42 years old, the absence of menstruation is an everyday matter. The menopause has arrived. Having read on the Internet that the signs were different, she calmly attributed all the sensations and manifestations to her hormonal problem. After suffering for 3-4 months, with a feeling of despair (“how long will I have to suffer like this?”) I made an appointment with a gynecologist. The purpose of the visit was one - maybe there is a medical solution to the symptoms of menopause.

But the gynecologist, after an examination, gave her verdict: pregnancy 16-17 weeks. The doctor's conclusion was confirmed by the results of an ultrasound examination and a blood test.

“That’s how I had to put off old age,” summed up happy mother Nina

Lost time

20.10.2017

Not all stories end equally well. It happens that pregnancy is not confirmed, and sometimes it is there, but not there.

An unexpected thing happened in Zoya’s life - a delay of 16 days. The baby was not planned: the couple took precautions. But there is nowhere to go. A visit to the doctor did not clear up the situation, nor did an ultrasound. The uterine cavity is clean, there is no fertilized egg, but they describe a corpus luteum near the ovary.

With the assumption of an ectopic pregnancy, Zoya spent two weeks going back and forth between the gynecologist and the ultrasound. I did not donate blood for hCG. There was no talk of hospitalization. At the end of 3 weeks of delay, everything ends with a rupture of the fallopian tube, massive internal bleeding and a long recovery.

Of course, there remains another healthy organ and hope for motherhood in the future. But everything could have been identified and corrected in time.

An unexpected find

01.02.2015

Inna also decided to share her unusual story. When planning a second child, a long-awaited delay appeared. True, the joy was short-lived. On the 20th day of absence of menstruation, red discharge formed: at first scanty, then more. This was not accompanied by pain, so the idea of ​​going to the doctors did not come immediately.

Somewhere on the 5th day of discharge, Inna finally went to the hospital. The gynecologist suggested an ectopic one, but the ultrasound doctor did not confirm the diagnosis. As a result, due to a miscarriage, a cleaning was performed and a course of antibiotics was given.

For some time, this stopped Inna and her husband from trying to have a child. And only 4 years later another pregnancy occurred (almost immediately after the first attempts to conceive a child). It proceeded well, without any peculiarities or problems. True, the birth was difficult, and I had to “caesare” it, and under anesthesia. This is probably what saved Inna.

After the caesarean section, the doctor who performed it came to the ward and told about the accidental discovery. It turns out that after removing the baby, he conducted an examination. The specialist was confused by the strange bend of one fallopian tube. Upon closer examination, it turned out that a frozen ectopic pregnancy had developed here and was clearly not fresh. It was decided to remove the uterine labor, since it could rupture at any moment.

This is how an ectopic pregnancy almost 5 years ago not only did not manifest itself in any way and was not visible on an ultrasound, but also did not prevent me from carrying and giving birth to a healthy baby.