Why should I take the test?💡 

Once you have confirmed that you’re pregnant, aren’t you curious about when your due date is? The average pregnancy is calculated as 282 days, approximately 40 weeks from the first day of your last menstrual period. 

A full-term pregnancy can be anywhere between week 37 and 42. If your baby comes out before week 37 of pregnancy, your baby is considered premature. Your pregnancy lasting longer than 42 weeks signals overdue. 

How is the test done?💉   

Healthcare providers estimate your baby’s due date based on the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). It’s just an estimated day, not a deadline for your baby to come out on time so don’t be too stressed about it. Your due date can change!

Let’s say you have regular 28-day menstrual cycles. Following Naegele’s Rule, you count back 3 calendar months from that date, add 1 year and 7 days to that date. Voila, here is your pregnancy due date.    

TMI from Baby Billy👩‍⚕️:  

Conception date

Conception date is the day on which your baby is conceived. It’s the day when your partner’s sperm is fertilized with your eggs to create a new angel in your body.

Pregnancy due date is calculated using the first day of your LMP instead of your conception day because of inaccuracy. Ovulation happens approximately 2 weeks after your ovaries release an egg. Once the egg has been released, it can remain fertile for up to 24 hours, meaning you can only get pregnant about 12 to 24 hours around the time that you ovulate. However, sperm can live inside your fallopian tubes for up to 5 days so it can be difficult to know exactly the day when sperm meets egg and decides to produce a baby together. 

If your periods are irregular…

If you’re not sure of your menstrual cycle, you can always opt for an ultrasound. Ultrasound measurements for estimating the age of the fetus and calculating your due date more accurately in the early stages of pregnancy. The best timing for an ultrasound is between 8 weeks and 13 weeks 6 days.