Childbirth is a sacrament for every woman. For some, this is a long-awaited event filled with troubles and care, for others it is a period of experiences and stresses, for others it is a time of silence and spiritual harmony, and for some it is a natural process of continuing life. Despite the fact that a pregnant woman relates to her position, learning about it, almost every woman wants to determine the date of the baby's appearance. The importance of correctly setting the date of birth is very important, because according to these dates, a detailed analysis of the state of the mother and her unborn child is formed. The following article will tell you how to determine the date of birth by the last monthly, as well as using other studies.
Menstrual cycle and ovulation
Menstruation directly affects the setting of the date of birth. You can determine the approximate date of birth by the last menstruation, given the length of the menstrual cycle.
By all rules, a woman's menstruation lasts 28-32 days. This cycle is called the most normal and common in 60% of women of childbearing age. Given these figures, ovulation occurs on the 12-14th day. The egg leaves the ovary and is ready for fertilization. But this cycle is not always ideal.
Stress, moving, illness, and even a simple runny nose can knock down women's watches, thereby reducing the likelihood of accurately determining both the day for direct conception and the timing of the upcoming birth.
In 30-35% of women, the menstrual cycle is not constant, and therefore, early (10-12th day) and late (18-20 days) ovulation is observed. Such indicators affect the occurrence of both a desirable (it is impossible to determine the day of ovulation, and hence conception), and unplanned (late and early ovulation in 50% are the cause of unwanted conception) pregnancy.
Ovulation pain and PMS
Despite all the shortcomings of the obstetric period, nevertheless, determining the date of birth by the last month is the best option. You can evaluate your condition, if you listen to the body.
Many women, if they are planning a pregnancy, attach great importance to every sensation. So, when ovulation occurs, estrogen levels increase. And this is necessary not only for the egg to come out of the ovary, but also for filling it with nutrients and vitamins, which are necessary for conception and formation of the fetus, and in the future for its development. With an increase in the level of this hormone and the release of the egg, many women experience pain that lasts from 3 hours to 1 day. These are the so-called ovulation pains, by which it is also possible to determine the beginning of ovulation, and therefore the estimated date of the beginning of the gestational period.
After ovulation has occurred, the egg moves about 24 hours, maintaining its function. At this time, progesterone is produced, which can help in fertilization. During this period, a woman feels chest pain, irritability or nervous excitement, anger. This is the so-called "premenstrual syndrome." If the egg is not fertilized, progesterone and estrogen levels decrease sharply, menstruation begins.
So, if a woman feels ovulation pain every month, she can know about the beginning of the fertility period (the most favorable days for fertilization) and thereby know about the timing of conception.
Methods for determining the date of birth
You can determine the date of the long-awaited birth by various indicators.
- According to the last menstruation, the number of the first day of the last menstruation.
- Ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs, examination of the state of the pelvic organs, as well as fetal development.
- By ovulation or fertile days.
- On the day when conception occurred.
- At the first stir of the baby.
- According to the parameters of the uterus and the height of its bottom.
And there are several tricks that are not scientific: by intuition, by the shape of the abdomen, by weight gain, etc.
Each of the methods is quite relative and will never give a 100% guarantee that a child will be born on this particular day. The calculations take into account the data of an average woman with a constant menstrual cycle. For greater reliability, in determining the terms, the indicators of several surveys and formulas are taken into account in the calculation.
Obstetric and gestational gestational age
In modern obstetrics, like decades ago, there is a proven, most convenient way to determine the approximate date of birth by the last monthly.
It is worthwhile to dwell on the question of the accuracy of the terms of pregnancy established by the doctor.
Often, some women with confidence refute the terms of their pregnancy, which the doctor noted to her. A woman knows exactly when the conception occurred. But unprotected intercourse does not mean conception that occurred at that very moment. In order for the sperm to fertilize the egg, it takes time and the egg itself, which leaves the ovary during ovulation. This happens around the 12-15th day of the cycle. When all these factors combine, then pregnancy occurs.
If a woman monitors all changes in her body and plans pregnancy based on the time of onset of ovulation, then she can calculate the term of labor according to the gestational schedule, which is about 2 weeks behind the obstetric one. That is, the obstetric period is determined from the day the last menstruation begins (about 2 weeks before ovulation), and the gestational period is determined from the day the ovulation begins.
This method of maintaining pregnancy is effective only in relation to the constant cycle and keeping a diary of ovulation and basal temperature. But not every woman resorts to such methods, so the obstetric method of calculation is more reliable.
But the most typical rule for determining the date of birth is the method of determining the last monthly.
Negele rule
The famous German doctor from Dusseldorf, Karl France Negele, developed in 1807 the principle of calculating the date of the forthcoming birth by the number of the first day of the last menstruation of a pregnant woman. This formula is the most effective and most often used in obstetric practice. It is important to know that this method does not take into account the last, but the first day of menstruation. How to determine the date of birth by the last monthly?
- According to the template formula, it is necessary to subtract exactly 3 months from the first day of the last menstruation and add 7 days to the resulting date. Changing the year to the next, we get the estimated date of birth. For example, if the last menstruation began on September 16, 2018, then, having taken away 3 calendar months, we get June 16, add 7 days and get June 23, change the year to the next. The final date of the alleged birth is June 23, 2019.
- Modified method. 9 months and 7 days are added to the first day of the last menstruation. If we take the previous example, the date will not change, that is, September 16 +9 months = June 16, 2019 + 7 days = June 23, 2019.
Using the Negele formula, obstetrician-gynecologists can find out the approximate date of birth by the last month. The fundamental factor here is the constancy of the pregnant cycle. The normal phase of menstruation lasts 27-29 days. If menstruation goes astray, there are periodic delays or too early onset, then it will be difficult to find out the date of birth by the last monthly.
Determining the date of birth in an unstable cycle
With an unstable menstrual cycle, pregnancy can occur with an early exit of the egg, and with late ovulation, and it will not work to determine the exact period of ovulation. In this case, the Negele method is not effective. But nevertheless, the date of birth will be established primarily on it. It will not be possible to find out the term of delivery by the date of the last menstruation for sure, but several surveys will say when to give birth. Firstly, all calculations will be taken based on the annual cycle. It calculates the average days of the female calendar, as well as the average duration of menstruation. As a result, an approximate ovulation period will be calculated, and hence the conception period. In addition, examination and ultrasound examinations will be taken into account here.
Why measure the height of the uterine fundus?
An important point in the additional study of a pregnant woman to set the date and date of birth is the woman's early registration. With difficulties in determining the dates and dates, the data of examination and measurements made directly by the doctor are taken into account. Their accuracy and correctness depends on the early term of bearing a child. The earlier the first examination is done, the more accurately the delivery period is established. The doctor conducts a special examination, measures with a centimeter all the necessary indicators, including the size, density and height of the uterine fundus, the gestational age is determined. The higher the bottom of the uterus, the sooner the birth will occur. The doctor usually measures the abdomen, feeling for the necessary female organ. The upper point of the uterus is easily located, and an experienced doctor can not confuse it with anything, so the study is quite accurate.
Ultrasound
An ultrasound examination clarifies the gestational age and date of birth according to the parameters of the fetus. Not only fetal indicators are measured, but also the state of the uterus, placenta, etc. Do not forget that all indicators are taken from the average pregnancy. And to panic, if the baby's sizes differ from those indicated, it is not worth it. Each child is individual and unique. Reviews and stories of the mothers who gave birth confirm this. Some say that only the first ultrasound examination, which is carried out at the 12-14th week of pregnancy, gives the most accurate estimate of the term and the expected date of delivery. But ultrasounds at a later date only confuse in the installation of such numbers. In the 2-3rd trimester by ultrasound, it is necessary to determine the norms or pathologies of the development of the fetus, but not the date of the upcoming birth, because the size of the baby, bones, head volume, girth of the baby and placenta are purely individual indicators and differ from the average by several times. Someone has a large fetus, so there are errors in the term of delivery for 4 weeks in advance, in connection with which they resort to unreasonable stimulation of labor, someone has a small child and there are problems with prolonging pregnancy.
Why the accuracy of determination depends on menstruation
Determining the exact date of birth is a difficult question. And it depends on various indicators. Any deviation in the well-being of the future mother affects the number of days a child is born. Given all the indications of the female body, it is worth noting that the last menstruation nevertheless takes into account deviations in the behavior of the whole organism as a whole and therefore serves as an important reference point in setting the gestational age and date of birth. A delay or premature onset of menstruation indicates a pathology in the body and therefore helps to take into account all possible options for the development of a future pregnancy. In addition, you can determine the date of birth according to the last monthly period most accurately if there is no possibility of another diagnosis of the pregnant woman. This is an observation of the interesting situation of a woman in remote villages without the necessary equipment, and when a woman refuses other diagnostics for other reasons (spiritual views, religion, etc.). It should be noted that the discrepancies in the indicators of the estimated date of birth vary within 1-2 weeks. This provides adequate monitoring and diagnosis of fetal problems.
Approximation in date of birth
It is always possible to determine the term and date of birth by the last monthly period if the woman remembers these figures. But still accuracy will never be 100%. The body of each pregnant woman is purely individual, and the average indicators do not give reason to say that the deadline is set correctly and accurately. Approximately 2 weeks forward or backward should be considered when planning an upcoming birth. Well, with irregular menstruation and any chronic diseases, the discrepancies in dates can be more than 4 weeks.
Another reason for the inaccuracy is that you can find out the period of birth by monthly, if you do not confuse them with menstrual bleeding at a gestational age of 4 weeks. This happens quite often, especially in women who have given birth to 3 or more children. There is also the possibility of slight placental bleeding, in which the fetus clings to the uterine wall. It can also be taken for menstruation, which will distort the data on the gestational age, and therefore on the date of the upcoming birth.
Do not forget that inaccuracies can affect the development of the fetus, so it is extremely important to undergo all the necessary examinations in order to minimize errors in calculating dates.
Feedback on Estimated Delivery Date
In discussions on the World Wide Web, there are various reviews about setting the correct date of birth. They are divided into positive and negative.
- Positive feedbacks are based on experience in correctly setting delivery times. In 80%, the date of the alleged birth was set by the doctor on the first day of the last menstruation and was calculated according to the Negele formula. The discrepancies in numbers were 2-3 days. At the same time, women report that their cycle is constant - 28-30 days. 20% of positive comments by pregnant women are based on setting the date of birth for ovulation, with at least a 6-month schedule of the cycle and basal temperature. If all factors are calculated correctly, the date of birth is guessed with an accuracy of 1-2 days.
- Negative stories of women are most often found when describing an unstable cycle. At the same time, the estimated date of birth is either 3 weeks behind or in a hurry. In this case, there is early or late ovulation or placental bleeding, which are taken for menstruation, while the exact determination of the gestational age is difficult. Often the incorrect setting of the date of birth in negative reviews is noted when determining the size of the fetus. If the baby is large, the cycle is inconsistent, etc., pregnancy is delayed, and in the end it turns out that neither the woman nor the baby are ready for childbirth. The same problem occurs with a lightweight baby. In this case, later periods of childbirth are established, in connection with which the child receives oxygen starvation and infection with the products of his vital activity.
Eventually...
Having considered all possible options for determining the estimated date of birth by the last monthly, it is worth noting that its accuracy depends on many factors:
- continuous cycle;
- ovulation;
- somatic condition;
- emotional calm;
- physical activity;
- heredity.
It is worth noting that it is possible and necessary to find out the delivery dates by the last monthly periods, since this type of diagnosis is the most common and accurate, based on the experience of obstetricians.
Everyone wants to know when the baby will be born, the date and month of his birth is important for parents. But do not focus on it. First of all, calculating the date of the upcoming birth is necessary to control the formation and growth of the fetus, as well as the physical readiness of the pregnant woman for delivery.
Any living organism is very unique. The method and speed of its development depends only on itself. A new person, ready to be born, knows when to do it, since only possible dates and dates are laid by nature.