When relatives and friends know you’re pregnant, they keep asking you a question, “When will you be born?” If you want to answer this question accurately, you need to calculate the expected date of delivery. There are many methods for calculating the expected date of delivery. Although the date calculated by each method is different, it will not have a great impact. After all, the expected date of delivery is only the estimated date of delivery, not the exact date of delivery, so that the pregnant mother has a psychological preparation. Next let’s get to know the expected date of delivery.
_How to calculate the expected date of delivery?
Based on the last menstruation
You can use the online “due date calculator” to calculate, as long as you enter the last menstruation, and then click the calculation button. This calculator is very easy to operate. Of course, you can also do a simple calculation, that is, the month of the last menstruation plus 9 or minus 3, the date plus 7.
For example, if your last menstruation is March 20, 2018, and the expected date of delivery is month: 3 + 9 = 12, and date: 20 + 7 = 27, then the expected date of delivery is December 27, 2018.
For another example, if your last menstruation is November 11, 2018, the expected date of delivery is calculated as: month: 11-3 = 8, date: 11 + 7 = 18, and the expected date is August 18, the next year.
Estimation Based on Ultrasound
If your menstruation is irregular or you can’t remember the time of your last menstruation, your doctor will estimate a due date based on the first ultrasound. After pregnancy, the sooner the ultrasound is performed, the more accurate the date is. Ultrasound is less useful in estimating the expected delivery date after 20 weeks, because the natural differences in fetal size can affect ultrasound measurements.
Prediction based on conception
If you know the day of conception, the doctor will take the 266 days (the 38th week) after that day as the expected date of delivery. The difficulty is that most of you don’t know when you’re pregnant, so it’s hard to use this method.
There may be a few days’difference in the estimated delivery date calculated by different methods, but this does not have much impact on most pregnant women, because only about 5% of the fetuses will be born at the expected delivery date, and most pregnant women will give birth before or two weeks after the expected delivery date. However, many maternity tests are based on gestational weeks, so the more accurate the expected date of delivery, the more favorable the test.
_How to deal with the advance or postponement of the due date?
There are not many pregnant women who give birth on the day of delivery. Many pregnant mothers will face the situation of early delivery or delayed delivery. So how to deal with it?
Early due date
Premature birth occurs before the mother reaches 37 weeks of gestation. Studies have shown that the risk of health problems in premature infants far exceeds that of full-term fetuses. Thanks to advances in medicine, 80% of premature infants over 30 weeks will not have serious long-term health problems or developmental problems. Pregnant mothers need not worry too much.
However, early delivery often occurs, which can cause panic to mothers and their families who are not ready to conceive. Pregnant mothers need to prepare their packages in advance because they are likely to give birth at any time after 37 weeks of pregnancy. If there are any parturient symptoms before 37 weeks, the baby should also be saved at the hospital immediately.
Delayed due date
Many pregnant mothers feel anxious and uneasy when the due date is over, while their relatives and friends ask, “Why hasn’t it been born yet?” It will aggravate the anxiety of pregnant mothers. Some pregnant mothers are afraid of being questioned like this, instead of telling them the expected date of birth, just saying that they were born in a few months, so that even after a few days, you will not notice that there will be too much disturbance before birth.
There is no movement after the due date. Mothers need to exercise more. Walking more or climbing stairs are helpful. If there is any discomfort, we should seek medical examination in time to avoid fetal condition. After the expected delivery period, the baby should be monitored more actively in the hospital. If necessary, the doctor will give birth to the baby with drugs or take other effective measures.
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