How long does a pregnancy really last?

Question

I am going to be nine months in a few days but my bue date is not till Nov. 22. So i was wondering if it goes longer than 9 months and if i will be having my baby before my due date

Answer 1

40 weeks, which could be considered 10 months if you want to look at it that way.

Answer 2

It's 40 wks....go by weeks--not months---I have an explanation below. As far as going early? Well, that just depends on the baby, his or her health and size, your health....and so many other things. They come when it is time. But, a full term pregnancy is at 40 wks. Some babies are born early, some are born late....but it has nothing to do with the fact that you reached "9 months". Your 40 wks is up on Nov 22. With my first, my Dr let me go 9 days passed my due date before she induced me. I was born 7 wks early. Babies born 3wk early are considered premature. Many babies are born pretty close to their due dates.

Here is good explanation on the months/weeks thing.

A 10 Month Pregnancy?
Is a pregnancy nine months or 10 months long? This is a popular pregnancy debate with many women across message boards and in pregnancy communities today. Most people know that a pregnancy consists of the first, second and third trimester. The definition of a trimester is "A period or term of three months". If this is the case, why do so many people consider themselves pregnant for 10 months?

The answer is simple, even if not actually accurate. Pregnancies are considered full term at 40 weeks, and many women count four weeks as a month while they are pregnant, making the obvious deduction of a 10 month pregnancy. On average there are actually 4.33 weeks in a month, however that 1/3 of a week tends to get lost in the pregnancy shuffle for much of us.

Many women also find it easier, when asked how pregnant they are, to answer in weeks instead of months, because pregnancy is generally a count down. "I am 24 weeks, only 16 weeks to go!" The most general deduction by a bystander would be that the woman is already 6 months pregnant, when in actuality, per the Gregorian calendar that most of the world lives by, that woman is only about 5 1/2 months pregnant.

To read more... Go http://www.babiesonline.com/articles/pregnancy/a10monthpregnancy.asp

Answer 3

They say 40 weeks is full term, but that does not add up to 10 months. This is counted from your last period, and you don't actually become pregnant right at this time ( it's about 2 weeks off). Remember, there are 4 weeks and 2-3 days in every month. Those extra days add up, and that accounts for the extra 2 weeks. In short, it is just 9 months. Your due date should be around the nine month mark. The due date can be a little off though. That did happen to me.

Answer 4

I think it's generally 40 weeks, but the due date is a guess, it could be two weeks before or after the due date they calculated, or that's what I was always told. As for the baby coming, it'll come when it's supposed to come, when it's ready. And as for you being 9 months in a few days and the due date being in November almost a month later someone has their count wrong.

Answer 5

A pregnancy is 40 weeks, however the first 2 weeks you arent really pregnant because they count from your LMP. The doc's calculate months by 28 days, so you have 10 pregnancy months. If you go by calender months it's about 9 months. Figuring the first 2 weeks you dont have a baby in you yet, if you went to your due date you are only pregnant for 8.5 calender months.

Answer 6

The best way to work out when you're due date is to take the first day of your last period as being the beginning of week zero. The date of conception will be approximately two weeks after this date (as this is very soon after ovulation, when an egg is released). Day one of week 40 is that date you'll have been given as your expected date of delivery. As you state that this date for you is the 22nd of November, this would suggest your last menstrual period was around the 14th of February. Does this sound about right?

Term is the time when babies are normally expected to be delivered and this is anytime between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy. Before and after this time can mean complications for the delivery. It is quite normal for a baby to be delivered before the due date, just as it is for the baby to be late, but too early or too late can potentially be a problem.

To be safe, ensure that you stay in touch with your doctor (specifically obstetrician) or midwife, particularly if you think the baby is late.

A good tool for helping to work out your expected date of delivery can be found at: http://www.care2x.org/sudisa/eddga_calculator.php

Finally, congratulations!

Answer 7

40 weeks from the FIRST day of your LAST period. In theory, that's 38 weeks from conception.

By the way, months and weeks are not on the same scale. Ergo, if you want to count by months, count NINE FULL MONTHS. If you want to count by weeks, count 40 FULL WEEKS. You can't flip back and forth. And no, 40 weeks does NOT equal 10 months. That's like saying there are 13 months in a year.

Answer 8

a full term pregnancy is 40 weeks which is 10 months your due date is at 40 weeks i went over my due date with my son so its normal i went for 10 moths and a day

Answer 9

9 months.

Answer 10

40 weeks = 10 months why they say 9?? I dont know.