i think the due date is wrong?

Question

My last period started on may 26th. The docotor told me i was 6 weeks on July 5th, she also told me my due date was march 2nd. And also i was in Mexico for a wedding until the 10th of june, so i couldn't have gotten pregnant until my the middle of June... right?!? So any help with how far along i really am? and when my real due date is?

Answer 1

If your last menstrual period started on May 26 your estimated due date is February 29, 2008 or March 1, 2008, depending on which pregnancy calculator I used. (baby center says March 1, the Mayo Clinic says February 29. It doesn't matter, it is truly an estimate!) As of today, July 16, you are 7 weeks pregnant. As of July 5, you were 5 weeks, 3 days pregnant. And yes, this is true even though you were in Mexico!

Pregnancies are not dated according to when conception occurred, actually. Most women don't know when conception occurred -- relatively few, I think, keep track of when we ovulate. (And remember, sperm can live for several days inside of you...you can have sex on Monday and not ovulate until Friday, which is when conception would occur. Hell, depending on the time of day involved for all of this, conception/fertilization might not even occur until Saturday!)

Anyway, pregnancies are dated according to the woman's last menstrual period (LMP). Sometimes doctors perform early ultrasounds for purposes of dating the pregnancy, although if the woman knows the date of her LMP and there's no other reason to perform an early ultrasound many or most OBs don't do such an early ultrasound. Even if you have an ultrasound to date the pregnancy, don't expect the dates to "agree" with your ideas about being in Mexico and the timing of conception. Instead, expect the dates to indicate that you're more or less "two weeks more pregnant" than you think you are.

In any event, it's a matter of medical practices and terminology. It's not that the doctor thinks you conceived two weeks earlier, it's just that pregnancy dating is, well, counterintuitive! For humans, the "standard" gestation period is 40 weeks; of those 40 weeks, you're actually pregnant for only 38 weeks. Don't think too hard about it, it can make the brain hurt!

Congratulations on your pregnancy and best of luck to you!

Answer 2

If your doctor tells you you are 6 wks on july 5th then you are 6 wks on july 5th. they have these special calender things they look at. They do an ultrasound and/or blood tests to find out more accurately. When we first found out we were pregnant we were very confused. We had had a miscarriage the week before Christmas and were very surprised that we were pregnant again on the first try after the doc said it was okay to try again. About 3 weeks later.
He had to schedule an ultrasound to make sure of how far along we were because i had not had a period after the miscarriage. We thought i was at 10 wks, but wanted to make sure that i had not been pregnant with twins and just lost one or something. We found out i was in fact at 10 wks and it was completely new pregnancy.
Of course the first due date we were given was oct 4th, then after that ultrasound it was oct 1st then after the most recent one at 23 wks and 6 days the due date was sept 29th.
All meaning we got pregnant the first time we tried to get pregnant again.
Good luck!

Answer 3

When doctors count in weeks, they include the 2 weeks between your period and ovulation. Technically you were not pregnant during those 2 weeks, but they still factor it in. I'm not really sure why. They also assume you have a 28 day cycle, so that could be a factor also.

According to babycentre.com, your due date is March 1st, 2008, on the assumption once again that your cycle is 28 days long.

Answer 4

The "traditional" gestaional interval for a whole time period being pregnant is 32 to forty two weeks. Therefore a due date will also be mistaken through an whole month. A "due date" is simply an estimate of whilst the little one MIGHT arrive. Mother nature (or God) makes a decision whilst the little one is born no longer clinical technology.

Answer 5

Going by your last menstrual period your doctor is correct and you are due March 2nd. To find your due date take your last menstrual period and go back 3 months and then add 7 days. That would be March 2nd. Most women don't ovulate until about 12 days after their period so you probably did conceive after you got back. The doctor determines how far along you are by your last menstrual period. I know its confusing but trust me your doctor is correct.

Answer 6

6 weeks is dating the pregnancy from the date of the last menstrual period. When you get an ultrasound you will get a more accurate due date.

Answer 7

Yes your ultrasound will tell all. I fought with my doctors who insisted I was 6 weeks further along than I actually was, because my periods were not regular and they used the last one to date the pregnancy, but I knew I wasn't pregnant, because I was overseas and got pregnant the day I got back home to my husband.

Answer 8

I had the same problem. Trust your instincts. I had to fuss at my doctor but she listined and sure enough at my second ultrasound my daughter was measuring in at my due date. If you doc won't listen...just keep your date in mind too and see who is right in the end. Good luck and enjoy your new baby.