How does it work, when figuring out how far pregnant you are?

Question

This may sound silly, but ive just done a home pregnancy test and found i was pregnant with my 2nd child.
Ive joined a few online pregnancy sites, and once joined and have taken all details, i want to know why is it stating i am four weeks pregnant, when i only concieved on the 23rd of Feb? Doesnt that make me 2 weeks pregnant? Im a little confused.

Thanks everyone, for being so helpful.
Much much appreciated. xxx

Answer 1

Because they go off the first day of your last period

Answer 2

It is confusing, but they add two weeks on from the date of conception. Originally, they did this because pregnancy was dated from the date of the last menstrual period, estimating that ovulation occurs 14 days after a period.

In your case, you know when you conceived, and your period may have been more or less than 2 weeks before then, so they just add 2 weeks on to the date of conception.

To make it even more confusing, some books or websites may use gestational age. Gestational age is dated from conception. Most sites will say whether they are using gestational age or whether they are dating from your estimated last menstrual period.

Answer 3

Pregnancy is dated from the first day of your last period. So technically you've only been pregnant for 2 wks. It is kind of confusing, because you're 2 wks pregnant before you ever get pregnant. How messed up is that? And then it just gets more confusing from there...when does the 2nd trimester start? When are you 9 months pregnant? Everyone has their own opinions on it.

Answer 4

Once your pregnancy has been confirmed, what you most want to know is your due date. The average length of a pregnancy is 40 weeks, or 280 days, from the first day of the last normal menstrual period. Calculating the due date, or expected date of delivery, for a pregnancy is quite simple, then, if you know that date. Simply add nine months and seven days to the date, and you've got your pregnancy due date.
Here's an example of how it works: Say the first day of the last normal menstrual period was January 1st. Add seven days to that number, and you get the number 8. Add nine months, and you get October. The expected due date of that pregnancy, then, is October 8. (Some physicians use the term expected date of confinement, or EDC for short, to describe the due date.)

In reality, though, few women give birth on their exact due date. About 80 percent of babies are born within ten days of the due date. That's a fairly large window, beginning ten days before the due date and extending out ten days after the due date. A pregnancy that occurs during this time period--that is, between 38 and 42 weeks--is called full term.
http://www.howstuffworks.com

Answer 5

I'm pretty sure that I conceived on the 23 or 24 too. I'm 4 weeks pregnant today. They gauge your pregnancy due date off the first day of your last period. My last period was on the 6th of Feb. and I'm due Nov. 14. Good Luck!!!

Answer 6

Congratulations.

The no of weeks you are pregnant is worked out from the date of your last monthly period. Because the 'average' cycle is 4 weeks, the date of your lmp is always 2 weeks before you conceive therefore are 4 weeks rather than 2 weeks.

Answer 7

the reason why they count from the last period is because they are counting from the time the egg is released...that's how i see it anyway...i could be off...it is an old method that someone started using because it was the easiest way to predict the due date. Most people know when they had their last period.

Answer 8

if you have a regular 28 day cycle, then you count 40 weeks from the date your last period began, make slight adjustments if your cycle not this length

Answer 9

They base it on the first day of your last period.

Answer 10

they all go off of your last period..it got me too..until i went to the ob and she explained things alittle better..good luck and congrats..