Can the doctor tell exactly how old an unborn baby is?

Question

During the first trimester, is there any definitive way a doctor can tell exactly how old your unborn baby is? Is there any room for error? For example, if somebody thought they were only 8 weeks pregnant when in reality they were really 12 weeks pregnant would the doctor know?

Thank you all so much for the answers!

Answer 1

The doctor does a vaginal ultrasound to give you an accurate due date during your first trimester. Of course, there's room for error, but generally it's pretty accurate. The difference in size between an 8 week and 12 week unborn baby is noticeable.

Answer 2

Only the baby truly knows when he or she should be born. If you were charting, you can know when you conceived, but that still doesn't tell you how long the baby needs to grow. The average first time mom goes to 41 weeks and one day. Here's info about margin of error and ultrasound:

An early ultrasound can improve the accuracy of the EDD, but it’s still not an exact science. In fact, the margin of error for an ultrasound can be surprisingly broad and depends on when you have your ultrasound.

For instance, an ultrasound performed between 12 and 20 weeks may be inaccurate by one week; one that is performed between 20 and 30 weeks has a margin of error of two weeks; and one performed after 30 weeks may be three weeks off. So if you have an ultrasound at what is thought to be your 31st week and it shows you to be at 35 weeks, you could actually be anywhere from 32 weeks to 38 weeks! This can cause potentially serious problems if you go past your due date and your doctor induces labor, when in fact your pregnancy is not yet full term.

Laura
babystepsonline.net

Answer 3

Yes, without a shadow of a doubt the doctor knows how far along. Theres only a matter of days involved between each stage of growth in that period of time. Based on development and size (which there is no error on in the first 12 weeks) the doctor can know within 3 days either way how far along you are.

This is by ultrasound.

Answer 4

It does no longer remember the position you stay, the outcome of alcohol on an unborn infant might want to be awful. An unborn infant has no say contained in the remember in case you drink or no longer. I easily have a twin sister that artwork's with toddlers which have behaviour situation's. the overall public of the toddlers wade through from FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME, those toddlers will strengthen up with habit ailment's. some study's have shown that a particular share of those that are incarcerated wade through with FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME. poor toddlers by no skill stood a probability because their mom's chosen no longer to enable them. i trust now and again the mummy had no chosen both because of her personal ailment being an alcoholic. also, alcohol does no longer make you stay longer, alcohol kill's in such an excellent style of way's it is going to eventually ruin your liver, pancreas, mind and such an excellent style of alternative organ's. Alcohol destroys courting's and households that is likewise the variety one clarification for deadly collision's with the aid of impaired utilizing. yet they do say that 2 glasses of purple wine each day does help your heart. so so some distance as i'm in contact there is no income's to ingesting.

Answer 5

With an ultrasound. The technician measure the leg bone, and depending on its' measurements, they can tell exactly how old your baby is. And if you're having a hard time with how far long you think you are, most doctors do an ultrasound so they can tell you for sure. Congrats!

Answer 6

Honestly no there is no absolute way for them to tell.They are usually right 90% of the time, but were off by two months with my pregnancy. I kept telling them when i thought I had concieved and they wouldn't listen (once they put it in your file it stays) I had my son a day after when I had caluclated it (7lbs 14oz 21in. long.) My sister in law had hers two days after the doctor had figured it out. So generally they are right, but there is room for error. Don;t be scared though, just go with the flow and keep and eye on yourself

Answer 7

If they do an ultrasound early in the pregnancy they can almost tell you the exact day when you conceived! It must be done in EARLY pregnancy though, if not then the date given by the ultrasound tech can be off a week +.

Answer 8

during the ultrasound the docotr can tell usually within a week error. also you count the weeks from the first day of your last period...not the day the baby would be concieved...so it could be that (i dont understand why they do that)

Answer 9

yes they would by doing an ultrasound plus when they do your first pap smear and they do the tact test they can feel the size of your uterus and that can tell them too.