De-confuse me please

[OtherMother'n'Madre]

Pregnancy is 40 weeks (average). So if there are four weeks in a month pregnancy is technically ten months and the whole nine months thing is technically the earliest a baby can be born and have great odds (9 months x 4 weeks= 36 weeks). So that being the case how come some women are considered a "ten month" pregnancy (because basically everyone is)? Sure some are nine months (being at 36 weeks) but 40 weeks IS ten months....right? I mean I did pass the counting portion of school so I don't think I am miscalculating anything (minus Feb. being a goofy month). So why do drs. consider pregnancy nine months? :LOL Sorry if this is a ramble but I'm confused.

[Charles Baudelaire]

Pregnancy is 40 weeks (average). So if there are four weeks in a month pregnancy is technically ten months and the whole nine months thing is technically the earliest a baby can be born and have great odds (9 months x 4 weeks= 36 weeks). So that being the case how come some women are considered a "ten month" pregnancy (because basically everyone is)? Sure some are nine months (being at 36 weeks) but 40 weeks IS ten months....right? I mean I did pass the counting portion of school so I don't think I am miscalculating anything (minus Feb. being a goofy month). So why do drs. consider pregnancy nine months? :LOL Sorry if this is a ramble but I'm confused.


Well, here's where things get confused. A month isn't exactly four weeks. One week is, obviously, seven days. Times four would be 28 days. Only February has only 28 days -- most months have 31. On average, pregnancy takes approximately 9 calendar months. Hope that helps.

[OtherMother'n'Madre]

Oy! Not really! :LOL Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter...they decide when they come anyhow. :LOL

[TurboClaudia]

Also, a pregnancy is generally calculated as 40 weeks, but it's really 38 weeks from conception to estimated due dates. The extra 2 weeks are from the last period/ menstruation to ovulation/conception, and as we all know, that period can be anywhere from 10-20 days and not just 14 days, and an average menstrual cycle can be anywhere from 26-40 days and still be considered within the range of normal. Yes, it's confusing.

~claudia

[anonymommy]

Pregnancy is 40 weeks (average).

the 40w past LMP date is a little short of average for spontaneous labor.

So if there are four weeks in a month

There are 52 weeks in a year and 12 months in a year. 52/12 is 4 1/3. There are about 4 1/3 weeks in a month.

pregnancy is technically ten months ...

You are forgetting that OB/MW land measures pregnancy from day 1 of the menstrual cycle in which conception occurs. But that's typically two weeks BEFORE the woman conceives.

I'll use myself as an example.

First baby was conceived January 13 on day 14 of cycle. 40 week date from LMP was October 6. Baby was born October 17 (41+4). Pregnancy lasted about nine months and 4 days.

Second baby was conceived April 28. 40 week date was January 19 based on hypothetical conception on day 14 (egg actually fell on day 18 so I adjusted). Baby was born January 27 (41+1). Pregnancy lasted one day less than 9 months.

[Undercover Hippie]

Yeah, what they said. :LOL I think the confusion is partly because most months are not a true 28 days long, and partly because docs count from LMP and cycles can be wonky and babes are often "late," all of which inflate the apparent length of the pregnancy.

To add to anonymommy's examples:

First pregnancy conceived October 14 on cycle day 16. 40 weeks from LMP gave an EDD of July 6 (should have been July 8). Baby was born July 20, 41 weeks and 5 days gestation. Actual pregnancy lasted 9 months and 6 days; it was 9 months and 22 days from LMP to birth.

Second pregnancy conceived August 3 on cycle day 14. EDD of April 25. Baby was born May 4 at 41 weeks and 2 days gestation. Actual pregnancy lasted 9 months and 1 day; it was 9 months and 15 days from LMP to birth.

[wannabe]

you're confusing lunar months with calendar months

[Charles Baudelaire]

you're confusing lunar months with calendar months

Wouldn't it all be easier if we measured pregnancy in DAYS?

[lilsishomemade]

I remember learning about this in nursing school. I said, so, for a woman who is not sexually active, she's 2 weeks pg once a month? YEP!!!! Confusing....I tell everyone my due date, but I never have that much faith in it. ds#1 was 10 days late, ds#2 was 2 weeks early (and 7lbs9oz).

[Mama to 4]

I feel that it is ten months, and this nine month stuff always made me mad!

I got pregnant in January and am due in october. That is ten months, lunar or not.

Jan-one month pg
Feb-two months pg
March-three months pg
April-four months pg
May-Five months pg
June-six months pg
July-seven months pg
August-eight months pg
September-nine months pg.
October-tenth month of pregnancy, no bones about it.


Also, it kills me when people think anyone who isnt "overdue" is "Eight months"--- the eighth month is weeks 29-32, so they can kiss my @#$@#@%#!

:LOL

When people ask me "how far along are you?" I just say I am due next month.

Another calculator that I go by, call me crazy:

week 1-4 , is your first month of your pregnancy
week 5-8, second month
week 9-12, third month
week 13-16, fourth month
week 17-20, fifth month
week 21-24, sixth month
week 25-28, seventh month
week 29-32, eighth month
week 33-36, ninth month
week 37-40, tenth month
week 41+.........well it is the eleventh month and bless your heart

i am dead serious.