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Obstetric weeks of pregnancy: how many days, how to calculate, what does it mean, uz
Usually, the gestational age, which is determined by the gynecologist, differs from that which the woman counted. The fact is that obstetric weeks of pregnancy are different from the usual ones. Let’s see what the difference is and how to count them.
What does midwife week mean?
The duration of a woman’s special condition is measured by obstetric months and weeks. An obstetric week lasts the same as a regular week. A month lasts 4 weeks.
Obstetric weeks of pregnancy will help determine the estimated date of birth
The obstetric gestation period is 14 days higher than the real one. Pregnant women are worried about many questions, one of them – why is there such a difference.
Why are obstetric weeks of pregnancy counted?
It is a mistake to believe that pregnancy occurs at the time of fertilization of an egg with a sperm. In reality, pregnancy can be detected after the fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus. This does not always happen. For various reasons, the body can reject the embryo, then pregnancy does not occur, despite fertilization.
This process usually occurs either at the time of ovulation, or during the next day. Therefore, the embryonic maturity of the fetus can be considered from the moment of ovulation. However, this method is not suitable for further monitoring of pregnancy, as the date of ovulation may shift. Even in completely healthy girls, ovulation can begin a little earlier or later. Because of this, it is impossible to accurately calculate the embryonic age of the fetus.
Ultrasound will not help determine how many days the fetus is
The obstetric term began to be calculated in ancient times, when little was known about the characteristics of the female body, including the doctors of those years did not know about ovulation. The main symptom of pregnancy then was the absence of menstruation. Therefore, the period of development of pregnancy began to be counted from the date of the last menstruation. This method is quite accurate, therefore, the obstetric term is taken into account by modern gynecologists. It is on him that they lead a pregnancy.
If you are longing to conceive, you can make it easier for doctors. Use ovulation tests or determine this period of your cycle using methods at hand, for example, using temperature measurements. So you will know exactly the date of conception of the child and will be able to determine the date of birth that is as close to reality as possible.
How to calculate the obstetric term?
It is generally accepted that pregnancy lasts 9 months. But then the question arises: what months to count, because in one 28 days, in the other 30, and in the third it may even be 31. Here the calculation of the obstetric term comes to the rescue, according to which the pregnancy lasts exactly 40 weeks.
There are two ways to calculate the estimated due date:
- Count 280 days from the end of the last menstrual period before pregnancy.
- Count 9 months and 7 days from the start of your last period.
In any of these ways, you will receive the estimated date of your visit to the hospital. Keep in mind, however, that the date is not just named as tentative. Rarely do women give birth right on time. Normally, childbirth occurs from 38th to 42nd weeks. A baby born before the 38th week will be considered premature, and after the 42nd week – delayed. Between the 38th and 42nd weeks, a baby may be born immature, but it will always be considered full-term.
Is it possible to determine the term using an ultrasound scan?
The hope that ultrasound will determine the duration of your pregnancy is unwarranted. This study can assess the degree of development of the child according to his obstetric age. Therefore, the term must be estimated even before going to the office of an ultrasound doctor.
Now you know how important the obstetric term is. During pregnancy, each stage plays a role, so approach this issue responsibly.