How to know the exact due date of your baby? (Due Date Calculator)

Along with the joy that comes to your mind when you find out that you are pregnant, the first question that comes to mind is "When will you have the baby?". Knowing this date is very important for you and your family. Knowing this date is a great help in getting everything ready and mentally preparing before the baby arrives. So today, let's talk about how to calculate the due date, that is, your `Due Date`.

Simply put, what is a due date?

The `Due Date` is the approximate date when your baby is expected to be born. It usually takes 38 weeks, or about 266 days, for a fetus to fully develop. So, your `Due Date` is determined based on this time.

But here's something very important to remember . This `Due Date` is just an estimate . To be precise, only about 4% of babies are born on their `Due Date`. Most babies are born a little before or after this date. So this is not a fixed date like it's set in stone.

Why is it so important to know the due date?

Knowing the approximate date is important for several reasons.

• Get ready: You'll have plenty of time to prepare things like baby's clothes, necessary belongings, and the hospital bag you need.
• Inform the family: If you have other children, this will help prepare them for the day a new member joins the family.
• For medical treatment: This date is very important for your doctor. This `Due Date` is used to plan the tests, scans, etc. that need to be done at different weeks during pregnancy. It is also essential to compare the number of weeks to see if the baby is developing properly.

How do we calculate this due date?

There are several ways you can get a rough idea of ​​this at home. But remember, the most accurate date will be given to you after the `Ultrasound` scan performed by your doctor . Let's now look at the main methods that you can use at home.

What to do if you can't remember your last menstrual period (LMP)?

Can the due date given by the doctor be changed?

Yes, it's normal. Sometimes the ``Due Date`` given at your first scan can be a few days off at subsequent scans. This is because the doctor may have to make a slight adjustment to the due date given at the beginning based on the baby's growth rate later on.

Imagine, you think you are 8 weeks along based on your LMP. But if the scan shows that the baby is 7 weeks along based on the size of the baby, the doctor may push your `Due Date` back by about a week. This is very normal , don't worry about it.

A pregnancy is usually considered "full term" when it reaches 37 weeks . So your baby can be born before the `Due Date`, which means anytime between 37 and 40 weeks.

Is the due date different for twins?

Yes, to some extent. In a pregnancy with twins or triplets (multiples), the `Due Date` is calculated the same as for others. That is, based on the LMP and the `Ultrasound` scan.

But the difference here is that in twin pregnancies, the babies are often born prematurely . That's why doctors usually plan to deliver the babies at 36 or 37 weeks. So, no matter how you calculate your due date, your doctor will tell you to expect the babies to be born earlier.

How can a pregnancy last four weeks even though it's been two weeks since conception?

This is a question that many people have. It's very simple. Pregnancy doesn't start from the day you conceived , it starts from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP) .

Imagine that your menstrual cycle is 28 days. Ovulation usually occurs around day 14. Conception occurs after that. However, for ease of calculation and as a standard practice, doctors count from the first day of your period. So when your period stops and you find out you are pregnant, even though you have only been pregnant for about 2 weeks, you are already 4 weeks pregnant .