Once you find out that you are pregnant, you experience many emotions. One main desire is to know when you can expect your bundle of joy. Determining your due date before seeing a doctor will give you a good idea of when you will be giving birth. It is important to realize that due dates are merely estimates since most women do not carry the full 40 weeks of pregnancy. In some cases, women give birth one to two weeks early. In other cases, women give birth one to two weeks later than their due dates.
Calculating with Math
Step 1
Determine the first day of your last menstrual period. According to Healthline.com, if your menstrual cycles are regular, this should be simple to do. If you cannot remember the exact date but remember the week, then you can estimate the day.
Step 2
Add seven days to the first day of your last menstrual period. This will bring your menstrual period in line with your conception day, which is normally one to two weeks after the first day of your last period.
Step 3
Subtract three months and change the year if necessary to a year ahead, according to Healthline.com. This will give you your estimated due date.
The Birth Wheel
Step 1
Select the date of your last menstrual period from the printed dates on a pregnancy wheel, suggests Healthline.com. Your period and due date are estimated on a normal 28-day cycle.
Step 2
Read the number in line with your last menstrual period date. This is your estimated due date and is based on your estimated conception date by using the same formula in section 1.
Step 3
Submit to an ultrasound to verify your estimates. According to the American Pregnancy Association, an ultrasound is more accurate during the early stages of pregnancy. Later pregnancy renders ultrasounds less accurate as the baby's rate of development may be inconsistent. This is normal.
Tips and Warnings
- There is no scientific way to determine the actual conception date. All dates are just estimates.
