- How long does pregnancy take?
- How weeks and months of pregnancy are calculated
- Why is pregnancy counted from the last period?
- Why is pregnancy divided into trimesters?
- Transferred pregnancy
- Pregnancy calculator
- What you want to know:
How long does pregnancy actually last? Are you wondering how to calculate your due date and how long should a proper pregnancy last? We explain when the duration of pregnancy counts and why it is divided into weeks and trimesters.
Usually,pregnancyis understood as a condition that continues from the moment the egg is fertilized - that is, the female egg joins the female reproductive cell with the male sperm cell - and it is implanted in the uterus. However, when calculatingpregnancy durationand approximatedue date , the calculation is based on the date of the last menstrual period. So how do you calculate the due date andhow long is pregnancy ?
How long does pregnancy take?
Pregnancy is contractually specified as 9 months (or 10 lunar months, which are 28 days each) and is divided into three trimesters. This means that the normal duration of pregnancy is on average 38 to 42 weeks, i.e. about 280 days (+/- 20 days). At the first visit, during which the doctor confirms the pregnancy, the woman also learns how long the pregnancy is going on and when the delivery is expected. Of course, the due date is indicative and may be slightly shifted. The usual approximate due date is calculated by subtracting 3 months from the first day of your last period and adding 7 days. For example, if your last period began on September 1, you should give birth around June 8. Pregnancy, counted from the moment of fertilization, and not the last menstruation, lasts about 38 weeks.
How weeks and months of pregnancy are calculated
Check:Pregnancy calculator
Why is pregnancy counted from the last period?
The duration of pregnancy, from a medical point of view, is longer than from the moment of fertilization itself. After all, a woman's body prepares itself to receive an egg every month. Already during menstruation, when the unfertilized egg is excreted with part of the uterine mucosa, another egg matures in the ovary. Therefore, if fertilization occurs, the pregnancy will be calculated taking into account the date of the last menstruation.
Why is pregnancy divided into trimesters?
The division of pregnancy into trimesters, where each trimester means three months, is a convenient simplification, not entirely in line with the calendar calculations.It is used to emphasize important stages of pregnancy.
Transferred pregnancy
We speak of a transferred pregnancy when the labor does not begin after 14 days from the scheduled date of delivery. Transferred pregnancies are rare, sometimes the due date is simply miscalculated. Such pregnancies usually end with an attempt to induce a natural birth or by a caesarean section.