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We are trying to calculate the due date. Correct determination of due date based on the first fetal movement

We are trying to calculate the due date. Correct determination of due date based on the first fetal movement

04.07.2020

Update: October 2018

All expectant mothers look forward to the movements of the fetus during pregnancy; this is the first contact with the child, which forces the maternal instinct to turn on, if it has not happened before. The movements of the unborn baby not only bring great joy to the expectant parents, but help them suspect pathology and immediately contact an obstetrician. When they begin, how many movements are normal should be of interest to all pregnant women.

Why does the fetus move?

Movements little man in the womb are necessary, they speak about its growth and development. The baby begins to move already in the first trimester, at approximately 7–8 weeks. By the 10th week, he begins to have swallowing movements, he can change the trajectory of his movements and touch the walls of the amniotic sac. But the size of the embryo is still insufficient, it only floats freely in the amniotic fluid, and very rarely “collides” with the uterine walls, so the woman still does not feel anything.

Starting from the 16th week, the fetus is already sensitive to sounds, which is manifested by an active motor reaction. From 18 weeks future baby begins to finger the umbilical cord with his hands, knows how to squeeze and unclench his fingers, and touches his face.

Therefore, the fetus worries in the mother’s belly, which in turn worries the woman when exposed to external factors that are unpleasant for the baby:

strong, unpleasant, loud sounds;
a feeling of discomfort in the womb, such as maternal hunger;
stress experienced by the mother (due to the release of adrenaline, blood vessels, including those in the placenta, contract, blood supply deteriorates);
oxygen starvation (due to active movements, the placenta is stimulated, its blood supply increases, which provides the baby with additional oxygen).

In addition, if a woman takes an uncomfortable position, when large vessels are squeezed, the child experiences a lack of oxygen and also becomes active.

First movements

Each woman feels the first movement of the fetus differently at different times. When this happens depends on several factors:

gestational age;
first or second, etc. pregnancy;
time of day (usually in the evening or at night);
mother’s build (thin or plump);
Times of Day;
option for placenta attachment;
Lifestyle;
individual sensitivity (some feel it from 15 – 16 weeks);
mother’s behavior (physically active women simply do not notice movements).

According to statistics, the first movement of the fetus during the first pregnancy is felt by the pregnant woman at 20 weeks. And when the fetus is carried again, the period of movement is reduced to 18 weeks.

But everything is individual, even for an individual woman, the second, third and subsequent pregnancy proceeds differently each time. If a woman during her second pregnancy began to feel fetal movement at 19 weeks, then during her third pregnancy these dates may change (feel earlier or later).

Normal movements

The rate of fetal movements depends on how far along the pregnancy the expectant mother is. The baby is constantly moving, but of course, the woman cannot feel all his movements.

At 20–22 weeks, the fetus completes up to 200 movements per day,
but by 27 - 32 weeks he is already fulfilling about 600 movements. It is characteristic that with the beginning of the third trimester (32 weeks) the quantity decreases, which is explained by its weight (the fetus is already quite large) and it becomes cramped in the uterus. There are no longer “large” movements (turns and revolutions in the uterus) and the baby can only make “small” movements with his arms and legs.
After the 28th week the average amount is 8 – 10 per hour. The exception is the periods of sleep of the child, which is equal to 3 - 4 hours - during this time the baby does not make active movements. The expectant mother should remember certain cycles of activity of the child. The greatest activity is observed from 7 pm to 4 am, and the decrease in activity or the so-called resting state occurs from 4 am to 9.00.
By 32 weeks, the fetus takes its final position, usually with its head towards the pelvis (longitudinal position, cephalic presentation). But transverse position or breech presentation are not excluded. The mother should not despair; to correct such positions, the doctor will always prescribe special gymnastics that help the fetus turn over and take it to the “correct” position - longitudinal, with the head towards the pelvis.

If the baby has taken the “correct” position, that is, head down, then the pregnant woman will feel movements in the upper abdomen (the baby “beats” with its legs). When breech presentation, movements will be felt below, at the womb.

Changing the intensity of movements

If the baby is well and comfortable in the womb, and the mother does not experience any external or internal stimuli, then the movements are rhythmic and smooth. IN otherwise the nature of the movements changes sharply, which should alert the woman and requires consultation with an obstetrician.

As a rule, a woman notices “increased” activity of the baby when she is calm and resting. Conversely, many mothers are afraid that during her vigorous activity the child does not move at all. This phenomenon is easily explained. When a woman is at rest, she listens more carefully to her feelings and carefully notes the baby’s movements. When she is busy, she does not have time to escape from her work and she simply does not notice that the baby is moving. In order to dispel her doubts (the child is not feeling well, he is dying), the pregnant woman should sit down and relax, watching how he moves.

Doctors very often advise pregnant women to take the bed rest position - on the left side. It is in this position that the blood supply to the uterus is enhanced, which is used in the treatment of chronic fetal hypoxia and for its prevention.

Possible change in activity from inconvenient or incorrect position body of a woman, for example, lying on her back or sitting with a straight back. When the expectant mother lies on her back, the pregnant uterus strongly compresses the inferior vena cava (one of the main blood vessels).

When this vessel is compressed, blood flow to the uterus is significantly reduced and the baby begins to experience oxygen deficiency.

So that mommy understands that he is not feeling well, he begins to have violent and frequent movements. It is quite simple to establish blood circulation and eliminate hypoxia - the mother should turn on her side.

Also, the child’s motor activity changes if the mother is in a stuffy or smoky room. Due to the lack of oxygen, the child reacts to the situation with painful and strong tremors. A woman should leave the room and take a walk to restore a comfortable state for both herself and the baby.

In addition, fetal kicks change if the mother feels hungry. It experiences a lack of nutrients and “quiets”, moving sluggishly and reluctantly. But as soon as the pregnant woman has had a snack, the baby’s joy is expressed in increased activity.

Movements in pathological conditions

If the child’s motor activity suddenly becomes violent, prolonged and causes pain to the woman, this indicates some kind of pathological condition and requires immediate medical attention:

Threatening premature birth

Movements become frequent and violent due to the increased tone of the uterus.

Polyhydramnios

IN in this case the nature of the shocks is radically different. They are rarely felt by a woman, and their strength is insignificant, which is explained by the large volume of the uterus, where the baby rarely touches its walls and the mother does not feel his movements so often.

Low water

Due to the small volume of amniotic fluid, the baby becomes cramped in the womb; he constantly “beats” into the mother’s stomach, which is characterized by the woman as frequent and painful tremors.

Acute hypoxia

With pathologies such as premature placental abruption, preeclampsia and others, the fetus experiences acute oxygen deficiency and reacts accordingly.

Chronic hypoxia

Develops in the presence of fetoplacental insufficiency, anemia, and gestosis. Movement is sluggish and becomes rare.

Diaphragmatic hernia in a pregnant woman

In this case, the mother experiences pain under the sternum when the fetus moves.

Incompetence of the uterine scar

If a woman has a history of C-section, then if the scar fails, which can lead to uterine rupture, she feels pain in the area of the scar when the baby moves.

Acute cystitis

For inflammation Bladder A pregnant woman complains of frequent, painful urination and pain when moving the lower abdomen.

How do tremors feel?

Each pregnant woman describes the sensations in her own way, and they change with increasing gestational age.

In short periods (20–25 weeks), women characterize them as “the fluttering of a butterfly” or “the swimming of a fish.” Other pregnant women report a "fluttering" or "phone vibration" or a "tickling" sensation. Some describe their feelings not so romantically: “gurgling in the stomach, as if the intestines were acting up.”
After 27–28 weeks, when the fetus has grown sufficiently, its movements become clearer and more specific. Expectant mother, and even future dad may feel a kick in the area of the abdomen where the hand is placed. The baby's dissatisfaction is very often expressed by such “kicks” - if the mother takes an uncomfortable position or when there are loud and annoying sounds. But if an unfamiliar hand touches the mother’s belly, the child shrinks in fear and does not want to “kick.”

Count

In order to determine how the fetus feels, it is important to count its movements. How to count fetal movements? For this purpose, several methods are used:

Pearson method

This method is based on counting movements over 12 hours. Produced from 9 am to 9 pm. During the this test Only one condition is required from a woman - to reduce physical activity. All movements are counted, even the most minimal or weak ones. IN antenatal clinic the doctor issues a special form or asks you to independently draw up a table of fetal movements, where the time of the tenth movement will be noted. Normally, about an hour should pass between the first and tenth movement. And of course, the mother must remember that a period of rest is also possible, which should last no more than 4 hours. If this time is exceeded, you must urgently contact your obstetrician.

To make a table, you should take a notebook sheet in a box and line it as follows. The gestational age is written at the top. Hours are marked vertically from 9.00 to 21.00, and days of the week or dates are marked horizontally. From nine in the morning you should start counting your movements. As soon as their number reaches 10, a mark is placed in the table at the hour when this happened. Additional information is entered into the table: there were less than 10 movements and how many in total. We continue counting in next days and be sure to enter the data into a table, with which you need to come to the doctor’s appointment.

Cardiff method

The basis of this method is also to count the baby’s movements over 12 hours, the only difference is that the woman herself chooses the hour to start counting. Again, a table is compiled where the tenth movement made is recorded. It is considered normal when the tenth movement occurs before the 12th hour of the study. Otherwise, consult a doctor immediately.

Sadowski method

Counting fetal movements begins after dinner from 19.00 to 23.00. This method is based on the fact that in the evening and after eating, the fetus’ motor activity increases. The time at which the counting begins must be recorded, and the pregnant woman must lie on her left side at this time.

When 10 fetal movements are made in an hour or less, the counting stops. But if there were fewer of them, continue to count the movements. An unfavorable sign is a decrease in movements (less than 10) within 2 hours.

Thus, it becomes clear that every pregnant woman can master the listed methods of counting the baby’s movements. The use of these techniques does not require any equipment or medical supervision.

Diagnosis of pathology

A change in the nature and intensity of movements in the unborn baby indicates that he is not well. A serious sign is the absence of movement for 6 or more hours, which requires immediate treatment. medical care. Methods for studying the condition of the fetus include:

Auscultation of fetal heartbeats

Listening to the heart rate is carried out directly by the obstetrician using an obstetric stethoscope (wooden tube). Normally, the fetal heart rate is 120–160 beats per minute. If there is a deviation in one direction or another, they speak of oxygen starvation of the baby, which requires instrumental research methods.

Cardiotocography (CTG)

CTG is rightfully considered an accessible, reliable and most accurate method of assessing the condition of the fetus. CTG is performed from the 32nd week of gestation, and if intrauterine pathology is suspected, at an earlier date (from 28 weeks). Using cardiotocography, not only fetal movements are recorded, but also the rhythm of its heartbeat and uterine contractions. The study is carried out as follows: the pregnant woman is placed on a couch, and 2 sensors are attached to her stomach. One is in a well-audible place of the fetal heartbeat (it will record the heart rate), and the other is nearby (records uterine contractions). The recording of a cardiotocogram is carried out for at least 30 minutes, but it is possible to increase the study time to 1.5 hours. When taking a cardiotocogram, a woman needs to mark every movement of the baby and press a special button. Cardiotocogram analysis includes:

basal heart rate rhythm (normal 120 – 160 beats per minute);
amplitude of variability (permissibility of deviations up or down) of the basal rhythm (norm 5 – 25 beats per minute);
decelerations (sudden downward jumps in the curve) – normally absent or sporadic, shortened and shallow;
accelerations (sudden upward jumps in the curve) – normally there should be at least 2 within 10 minutes of the study.

For a more accurate diagnosis of the fetal condition, CTG is performed with functional tests (without stress and with intravenous oxytocin).

Ultrasound with Doppler

An ultrasound examination allows one to assess the size of the fetus and its correspondence to the gestational age (with chronic hypoxia, a lag in size is noted). The doctor also studies the structure of the placenta, the degree of maturity (signs of aging), the volume of amniotic fluid and its type (with oxygen starvation of the baby, these indicators change). Using Doppler, placental and umbilical vessels and the speed of blood flow in them are studied. If blood flow is reduced, they speak of intrauterine fetal hypoxia.

During an ultrasound, the child’s movements, heart rate and muscle tone are assessed for 20–30 minutes. If the fetus does not experience discomfort, then its limbs are bent - a sign of normal muscle tone. In the case of straightened arms and legs, they speak of decreased tone, which indicates oxygen starvation.

Question answer

I have my first child, but 4 hours have passed and I do not feel the fetus moving. What to do?

First of all, you need to calm down. The fetus does not always move actively; no movement is allowed for 3–4 hours, during which time the baby sleeps. Try to hold your breath for a while, blood will stop flowing into the placenta, to the baby, he will experience slight hypoxia and in response he will “be indignant” and begin to “beat” with his arms and legs. If this method does not help, watch the baby for another 30 - 40 minutes. If there is no even the slightest movement, immediately contact your obstetrician.

What fetal movements should there be before birth?

On the eve of birth, the baby practically stops moving, which is considered normal. The child is preparing for birth, which is a very difficult process for him and requires a lot of strength, and a decrease in motor activity The fetus allows you to save energy before childbirth. But there should not be an absolute absence of movements; the baby, although occasionally, makes movements.

How do cardiotocography and ultrasound with Doppler affect the child’s condition? Isn't this harmful?

No, these methods are absolutely safe for both the baby and the mother.

I am going to give birth to my third child, the period is still short, 10 weeks. What and when should the movements be during the third pregnancy?

It is impossible to say for sure how many weeks you will feel movement. Everything here is individual. Normally, during a second pregnancy, the mother begins to feel fetal movements from 18 weeks. But their onset is also possible earlier, at 16 weeks. But the nature of the movements may be completely different, unlike the first two pregnancies, and this should not be alarmed. All children are different, even while they are still in their mother’s belly.

I have a “bad” CTG, which was performed twice. Do you have to go to the hospital?

Yes, “bad” results of cardiotocography indicate intrauterine suffering of the fetus and require drug treatment in the hospital. In addition to treatment in the hospital, you will have a repeat CTG and, if necessary, decide on an early delivery.

When a woman first comes to see a doctor and the specialist confirms that she is pregnant, the first thing he does is set an approximate due date. In this case, the gynecologist relies on information about the first day of the last menstruation and ultrasound readings. With further monitoring of the course of pregnancy, the expected date of birth can be adjusted, based, among other things, on the date when the expectant mother felt the first movement of the child.

First pregnancy

It is generally accepted that the first movement marks exactly half of the pregnancy period, that is, the 20th week. In the vast majority of cases, first-time mothers really begin to feel fetal movements at the 20th week. Therefore, we can say with almost complete confidence that the baby will arrive in exactly 5 months, that is, in 20 weeks.

But if everything were so simple, then neither future happy mothers nor gynecologists would ever make a mistake with the day of birth. In reality, everything is much more complicated. And that's why.

The baby begins to move at 12 weeks intrauterine development. True, due to the small size of the fetus, a woman cannot notice its movement. But literally after 2-4 weeks, the baby’s pushing and turning over becomes much more confident. If a woman has a fragile physique and a heightened awareness of her body, she is quite capable of noticing these manifestations of life within herself. In medicine, cases have been recorded when pregnant women felt the movements of the child already at the 15-18th week, that is, much earlier than half the gestation period.

If, on the contrary, the expectant mother is plump, then she can feel the baby’s movements inside her a little later than in the 20th week of pregnancy. Sometimes this happens even at 23-25 weeks, which, naturally, cannot be evidence of the exact date of birth.

Second and subsequent pregnancies

If for first-time women the first noticeable movement of the baby is considered the norm at the 20th week of pregnancy, then for experienced mothers who already have at least one child, these “standards” have different indicators.

So, during the second and subsequent pregnancies, a woman begins to feel the baby’s movements 18 weeks after conception. Therefore, if you try to assign date of birth based on first movement in these cases, it will be necessary to add 22 to this day a full week. But, again, if we consider that women can first feel how the baby moves at the 14th, 17th or 21st week, then it is impossible to set a due date based on these data.

An erroneous determination of the due date can lead to the most unfavorable consequences. For example, if the first movement was recorded at 15-16 weeks, and the doctor mistakenly believed that it was 18-20 weeks, then the birth will be scheduled much earlier due date. And since postterm pregnancy is considered extremely dangerous for his health and life, the doctor, together with the expectant mother, will try to take certain measures to induce labor. But! Such a decision could lead to even more Negative consequences, both for the baby and for the woman in labor.

Therefore, accurate date of birth based on first movement fetus, especially in primiparous women, is never prescribed by doctors monitoring pregnancy. More exact dates and the doctor will simply have to calculate the time of delivery based on several factors, individual characteristics the woman’s body, indicators of pregnancy, etc.

However, if you want to know the approximate date of birth “for yourself” in order to mentally prepare for it, the moment of the baby’s first movement can be taken as a starting point. And then just count the days, enjoy your pregnancy and calmly wait for the birth of your long-awaited baby.

For most women, the birth of a child is almost the most important event in their life.

In order to be able to prepare for such an accomplishment in advance, you need to know the estimated date of birth, which is determined by several methods.

To determine when labor will begin, ultrasound data is used, which indicates the size of the fetus. Although such parameters can vary greatly depending on the genetics of the unborn child. I also determine the due date by the first movement.

The first fetal movements during pregnancy.

Determining the onset of labor by the first movement is often inaccurate, because the fetus moves from the 8th week of pregnancy, while the sensations of its movement are perceived by the expectant mother quite subjectively. Often, when expecting their first child, women mistake normal bowel movements for fetal movements.

IN this method The starting point is the moment when the expectant mother first feels the baby move.

Typically, a woman experiences fetal movement between 18 and 21 weeks of pregnancy. Much less often, however, it happens that this occurs both at 14 and 25 weeks. In fact, the timing of the baby’s first movement in the womb depends on the individual characteristics of the female body.

Women of dense build find it a little more difficult to recognize the first movements, in contrast to women with slim figure. In addition, women whose pregnancy is their first simply do not know what exactly the sensations are during the process of intrauterine movement of the child. This is why they may not notice it right away. Women who have already given birth may well feel even earlier movement.

The first movement of the fetus also depends on the sensitivity and thickness of the uterine walls.

How to calculate your due date based on the first movement

If you know the day of the very first movement of the baby, you can determine the approximate date of birth, for which you need to add twenty weeks, constituting 1/2 of the entire pregnancy period, to the number when the first movement took place. However, this is the case when you are a first-time mother. When a woman gives birth not for the first time, twenty-two weeks are required. The resulting date will be the possible date of the upcoming birth.

It should be noted that you do not need to completely believe the results of such a calculation due to the subjectivity of perception of the child’s first intrauterine movement. Sometimes women can make the mistake of mistaking simple intestinal peristalsis for the movement of the baby.

Of course, a more accurate date of birth can only be established by a qualified gynecologist who monitors the pregnancy.

He determines it based not only on the moment of the first movement, but also on the date of the last menstruation, the date of conception, the size of the uterus, the results of blood tests for hCG, and ultrasound results. Usually the latter indicator provides the most accurate data.

Having calculated the date of birth using one of the above methods, however, one should not assume that the child will be born on this particular day. According to statistics, only 5% of births occur according to the calculated date.

In any case, the child should be born within 38-42 weeks of pregnancy. Only he himself will determine when to be born.

Every pregnant woman eagerly awaits the birth of her baby. And, as a rule, the question of when the day of birth will come begins to worry the expectant mother at the very beginning of pregnancy. There are many in various ways, which are used to determine approximate date childbirth But how can you calculate the due date as accurately as possible? Let's try to do this together!

Determining the expected date of birth based on the day of conception is quite easy. As everyone knows, best time For pregnancy to occur, the day of ovulation, which occurs approximately in the middle of the cycle, is considered.

If a woman knows the day when ovulation occurred, then calculating the date of birth will not be difficult. Some women experience discomfort and strong sexual desire at the time of ovulation, but there are special rapid tests to accurately determine this day.

You can also determine the day of ovulation using an ultrasound examination. If you don’t know when you ovulated, then you can roughly calculate this day by just calculating the middle of the cycle.

The date of birth is calculated by adding 280 days to the day of ovulation (this is how long pregnancy lasts). A more accurate date can be calculated by knowing when sexual intercourse occurred. Remember that sperm can fertilize an egg within several days, which is why the date of conception and the date of sexual intercourse may not coincide.

Determine the date of birth based on the last menstruation

When visiting a gynecologist for an examination, the first question a woman hears is something like this: “When was your last period?”

Women who do not monitor the regularity of their menstruation may find it difficult to answer this question. To determine the duration of pregnancy and calculate the expected date of birth, the doctor needs to know the first day of the last menstruation.

Gynecologists use a simple and fairly well-known formula to determine the date of birth based on the last menstrual period: to do this, it is enough to subtract three months from the first day of the last menstrual period and add 7 days.

Of course, we cannot talk about the unquestioning accuracy of this calculation method; it is more suitable for women with a regular cycle of 28 days. If a woman’s cycle was irregular, then this method should not be used for calculation.

Determining the date of birth based on ultrasound results

Ultrasound examination is effective method diagnostics, this study is safe for both the mother and the unborn baby and allows, with a high degree of probability, based on the size of the fetus, to determine the expected date of birth.

The most accurate way to determine the expected date of birth using ultrasound is in the first trimester; later, the size of the fetus may differ slightly from the established ones.

Determining the approximate date of birth during examination by a gynecologist

An obstetrician-gynecologist, examining a pregnant woman, determines the degree of enlargement of the uterus. This is what helps to predict the approximate date of birth quite accurately. The uterus grows along with the baby, so calculating the expected date of birth for an experienced specialist is usually not difficult.

Based on the size of the uterus in the first trimester of pregnancy, the doctor can calculate the gestational age, and then calculate the expected date of birth, based on the approximate date of the last menstruation.

In the second and third trimester of pregnancy, determining the approximate date of birth during an examination by a gynecologist can be difficult because the uterus increases in size in each pregnant woman with different intensity. That's why more later During pregnancy, this method is considered ineffective.

We calculate the due date based on the baby's first movement

In those days when there was no ultrasound examination, the most accurate method for determining the approximate date of birth was considered to be the method of determining the date of birth by the first movement of the child.

Of course, even nowadays the doctor finds out the date of the first movement from the pregnant woman and enters it into the woman’s exchange card, but they no longer attach much importance to this date.

If we rely on this method to calculate the PDR, it is worth noting that it is believed that first-time mothers feel the baby moving at 20 weeks of pregnancy; accordingly, another 20 weeks must be added to the date of the first movement in order to obtain the PDR.

Women with a second and subsequent pregnancies may feel the baby moving a little earlier - at 18 weeks, that is, in this case, to calculate the PPD, it is worth adding 22 weeks to this date.

This method for calculating the MDR also cannot be considered absolutely accurate, since due to physiological characteristics, some women may feel the baby's movements at an earlier stage, in addition, some pregnant women who active image life, they may easily not catch the moment of the first movement.

Expectant mothers who are forced to remain in bed due to the threat of miscarriage listen very sensitively to all the changes occurring in their body; such pregnant women may also feel movement much earlier than is generally believed.

Calculation of PDR based on obstetric examination

After the 20th week of pregnancy, at each examination of the pregnant woman, the gynecologist measures the height of the uterine fundus and the volume of the abdomen. These measurements help the doctor monitor the progress of pregnancy and promptly determine the presence of any deviations from the norm, because the measurement numbers are specific for each period. This data can help your doctor calculate your estimated due date.

You also cannot completely rely on this method of determining PDR, because the readings during measurement may be affected by the doctor’s inaccuracy or the individual characteristics of the expectant mother’s body.

For example, in women with oligohydramnios, the abdomen is smaller and the height of the uterine fundus is also less than in a woman whose pregnancy is proceeding normally. Accordingly, the measurement indicators will change, which will lead to incorrect setting of the PDR.

Why is not the exact date of birth determined, but only an approximate one?

It is generally accepted that pregnancy should last 40 weeks or 280 days, however, quite often labor begins at 38 weeks and this is also considered normal. If the pregnancy is multiple, then, as a rule, labor always begins ahead of schedule determined by a gynecologist.

It is worth considering that the child may be born not only earlier than the specified period, but also a couple of weeks later than it was determined by the gynecologist - this is also not considered a deviation from the norm.

At 38 weeks, the fetus is already fully formed, the pregnancy is full term, therefore, starting at a couple of weeks early birth, should not frighten or cause panic in a woman.

If the baby is born within two weeks after the expected date of birth, then the pregnancy is also not considered post-term.

Do not forget that the course of pregnancy and the expected date of birth can be influenced by various factors. Various diseases, complications during pregnancy can lead to premature birth.

In fact, the preliminary date of birth is most important for the expectant mother, because she is the one who is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the baby.

However, the child will be born when he finally matures and is completely ready for life outside the mother’s womb; it is then that certain changes occur in the pregnant woman’s body, indicating the beginning of the birth process. It is quite difficult and difficult to calculate when this long-awaited moment will come, which is why the due date is called estimated or approximate.

How to calculate the preliminary due date using an online calculator?

Your guide to pregnancy can be a pregnancy calendar, which will tell you about the signs of pregnancy, the development of the baby and the condition of the pregnant woman at a certain week of pregnancy, and also the pregnancy calendar will help determine the date of the upcoming birth and tell you what tests and examinations need to be done and at what week of pregnancy it should be done do.

A pregnancy calendar helps a woman keep track of changes occurring in her body during pregnancy. different terms pregnancy, as well as determine the expected date of birth using a special online calculator.

In order to determine your expected due date online using a calculator, you need to know the first day of your last menstruation. The calculation is carried out approximately in the same way as already described above using the Nägele formula.

Which methods of calculating the maximum allowance should be trusted?

Of course, it is best to use the results of an ultrasound examination and calculation of the maximum period according to the date of the last menstruation to determine the approximate date of birth - these methods are considered the most accurate. If these data coincide, then this is great, but even if they differ, you should not be upset, you should carefully monitor how the pregnancy progresses in order to exclude various pathologies and calculate the expected date more accurately.

I like!

First pregnancy

But if everything were so simple, then neither future happy mothers nor gynecologists would ever make a mistake with the day of birth. In reality, everything is much more complicated. And that's why.

The baby begins to move already at the 12th week of intrauterine development. True, due to the small size of the fetus, a woman cannot notice its movement. But literally after 2-4 weeks, the baby’s pushing and turning over becomes much more confident. If a woman has a fragile physique and a heightened awareness of her body, she is quite capable of noticing these manifestations of life within herself. In medicine, cases have been recorded when pregnant women felt the movements of the child already at the 15-18th week, that is, much earlier than half the gestation period.

Second and subsequent pregnancies

If for first-time mothers the norm is the first noticeable movement of the child at the 20th week of pregnancy, then for experienced mothers who already have at least one child, these “standards” have different indicators.

So, during the second and subsequent pregnancies, a woman begins to feel the baby’s movements 18 weeks after conception. Therefore, if you try to assign date of birth based on first movement in these cases, it will be necessary to add 22 full weeks to this day. But, again, if we consider that women can first feel how the baby moves at the 14th, 17th or 21st week, then it is impossible to set a due date based on these data.

An erroneous determination of the due date can lead to the most unfavorable consequences. For example, if the first movement was recorded at 15-16 weeks, and the doctor mistakenly believed that it was 18-20 weeks, then the birth will be scheduled much earlier than the due date. And since postterm pregnancy is considered extremely dangerous for his health and life, the doctor, together with the expectant mother, will try to take certain measures to induce labor. But! Such a decision can lead to even more negative consequences, both for the baby and for the woman in labor.

Therefore, accurate date of birth based on first movement fetus, especially in primiparous women, is never prescribed by doctors monitoring pregnancy. The doctor will simply have to calculate more accurate dates and times of birth based on several factors, the individual characteristics of the woman’s body, indicators of the progress of pregnancy, etc.

How to determine your due date by the first movement

Today there are several methods for calculating the preliminary due date. Obstetricians-gynecologists mainly focus on the date of a woman’s last menstrual period. But this can also be done according to the date of the first fetal movement. Let's learn more about the method.

How are the first movement and the date of birth related?

The day on which the expectant mother feels the first movement of her baby has been the starting point for determining the date of birth for many centuries. And although today this method is not distinguished by its importance and accuracy, it is nevertheless used, as in the old days, when no one had any idea about ultrasound examinations.

Today, the obstetrician-gynecologist observing the woman must include this date in the pregnant woman’s medical record. The date of the first movement is often used to adjust the estimated date of birth (ED), calculated in other ways, in particular based on the last menstruation. And since some women do not always remember this date, knowing the period of movement helps determine the fateful day in their life.

Surely all women know that the first active movements in the womb of the mother, the unborn child makes movements called movements at the 20th week of pregnancy, that is, at its “equator”. By adding another 20 weeks to the date, the MRP is determined. But this seemingly simple calculation method is only partially correct. Taking this into account, you should not forget about the following:

The baby in the uterus begins to move in the twelfth week of pregnancy. But women, as a rule, do not feel these early movements, since they are very weak.
First-time mothers usually feel the first movement of the unborn boy or girl at the twentieth week of gestation. During the second pregnancy, the due date is shifted closer. This means that for the first child the date of birth is calculated by adding 20 weeks to the date of movement, and for the second - 22 weeks.

Using this method, you need to take into account the woman’s constitution. If she is thin, doesn’t move much, and is sensitive, then she can feel the baby’s first kicks much earlier. There are cases when women of this constitution felt them even at 14 weeks. They, according to pregnant women, were very light, similar to tickling. But ladies with a dense build find it more difficult to feel the first movements of the baby, unlike slender and thin ones.

First-time women simply do not know what exactly the first intrauterine movements should be like, how this happens. Therefore, they sometimes miss them, not paying attention to the light, timid movements of the fetus. Second-borns are more sensitive to them because they are already experienced.

The baby's first movements in the uterus also depend on the thickness of its walls. And this is also an individual parameter.

Errors in calculating labor based on the first movement

Sometimes focusing on this date can lead to inaccuracy in determining the PDR. Considering that some women's pregnancy lasts 41 weeks and not 40, this error may be too large.

Let's give a simple example. A thin and sensitive woman felt the first movement of her unborn baby at 17 weeks of pregnancy. The gynecologist wrote down in the card that it was 20 weeks. Consequently, this lady is expecting childbirth at 37 weeks, while the first signs of labor are still 3-4 weeks away. Since it is dangerous to carry a baby to term, the doctor and the woman may decide to induce labor, which would be wrong.

If such calculations are made, then it is necessary to take into account the fact that the child will be born on the calculated day. This happens very rarely. Medical statistics indicate that birth occurs between 38 and 42 weeks. Therefore, the expectant mother should not worry and “sit on her suitcases” on her birthday. Nervousness and worries will not speed up the due date. It is also worth considering that when multiple pregnancy babies are born at 37 weeks.

So, modern medicine calculates the date of birth purely based on the time of a woman’s last menstruation, and the very first movement and its duration are a corrective moment.

Especially for beremennost.net – Elena TOLOCHIK

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