How to calculate the correct gestational age & bull; hello healthy

You are usually advised to undergo an ultrasound examination at the doctor to find out how many weeks or months your pregnancy has been. However, do you know how to calculate the actual gestational age?

Well, there are several ways to calculate gestational age. For those of you who are pregnant for the first time or don't understand the difference between gestational age and fetal age, find out how to calculate gestational age and related matters in the following review.

The importance of knowing how to calculate the current gestational age

You must be wondering, why does every pregnant woman need to know her gestational age? The answer is simple, gestational age is very important for you to know the estimated day of birth (HPL) and what prenatal care you should do.

Now, to find out this you (doctor's help) need to know how to calculate gestational age.

In addition, estimating your gestational age will help your doctor monitor your pregnancy. Knowing how to calculate gestational age can also be useful for many things, including:

1. Determine the test schedule

Knowing how to calculate gestational age helps you determine the schedule for various medical tests. One of them, the first ultrasound test that must be done when the pregnancy enters 6 weeks of age.

An ultrasound test that aims to determine whether twins share a placenta or amniotic sac is performed between the 11th and 14th weeks of pregnancy. In addition, knowing how to calculate gestational age also helps doctors determine the AFP blood test.

AFP blood test (Alpha fetoprotein This screening for the risk of birth defects should ideally be performed between 16 and 18 weeks.

2. Determine the method of delivery

Knowing how to calculate gestational age is also important for planning options for delivery, whether it's a vaginal delivery or a cesarean section.

By calculating and knowing the gestational age, the doctor can predict at what week of pregnancy you should give birth by caesarean section. The reason is, how to calculate the wrong gestational age, it is feared that the fetus's body that is not perfectly ready to be born into the world.

For mothers who plan to give birth normally, knowing how to calculate gestational age is equally important. Especially if you haven't shown any signs of wanting to give birth, even though the gestational age has passed the limit (postmature).

In addition to helping you calculate your gestational age, your doctor will be able to consider how to induce the induction depending on the exact age of your pregnancy.

3. Addressing the risk of preterm labor

Knowing how to calculate the correct gestational age can prevent premature babies.

If it turns out that you are at risk of preterm labor, your doctor can anticipate it through specific measures by knowing exactly how old your pregnancy is at this time.

How to calculate gestational age at home

Before starting how to calculate gestational age, you must first remember exactly when the first day of your last menstrual period (HPHT).

The way to calculate gestational age is to add forward 7 days to 40 weeks from the date of your last menstrual period. Later, the estimated day of birth (HPL) can also be calculated from the age of your pregnancy.

To make the calculation of gestational age clearer, make an example of the first day of your last menstrual period is January 8, 2019. Add 7 days after LMP, then the first week of your pregnancy will be January 15.

The second week you are pregnant falls on January 22nd. Continue counting forward until week 40 to get your due date (HPL). With the scenario above, the estimated results of the birth of the baby from how to calculate the gestational age will fall on October 15, 2019.

To make it easier, how to calculate gestational age to determine HPL can also use the formula:

The first day of the last menstruation + 7 days - 3 months + 1 year

Another example: Suppose the first day of your last menstrual period was January 1, 2019. If you add 7 days, the result is January 8, 2019.

After that it is counted down for three months, meeting the date of October 8, 2018. Then after that, 1 year is added, then the estimated date of birth of your baby is October 8, 2019.

However, remember that the date that results from calculating the gestational age is only an estimate. So, it is not certain that your baby will be born on that date.

Only about 5 percent of babies born according to the expected date of birth resulted from calculating gestational age. The rest, babies can be born before or after the estimated date.

How to calculate gestational age by weeks, not months

You may often hear about pregnancy in a matter of months. Many pregnant women are accustomed to saying that their gestational age is only 3 months, 6 months, 7 months, and so on.

In fact, the exact gestational age is expressed in weeks and days. The average gestational age from conception to delivery is 40 weeks, not 9 months. Why?

How to calculate gestational age is determined from when you are last menstrual period. This includes about two weeks when you have not tested positive for pregnancy. The reason, conception occurs approximately two weeks after you menstruate.

So if calculated, gestational age generally lasts for 40 weeks or 280 days until you give birth. Babies born before 37 weeks are considered premature and babies born after 42 weeks are considered postmature .

Different gestational age and fetal age

It is important to know that gestational age not the same with the age of the fetus. How to calculate gestational age is calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period until birth.

Meanwhile, the age of the fetus is more difficult to determine accurately because no one knows when conception occurs. That means, you can't use the pregnancy count method to find out the age of the fetus.

Obstetricians and midwives only check on ultrasound and estimate the age of the fetus based on your gestational age. So, how to calculate the age of the fetus can only be done with the help of ultrasound, not by manual calculations such as gestational age.

However, it should be noted that the difference between gestational age and fetal age (the age indicated by ultrasound) is still considered normal. You don't need to worry about problems with fetal development. At the next examination, the doctor can ensure that the difference in gestational age and the fetus is not getting further.

This certainly helps to predict when your baby will be born, so you can prepare for the birth of your little one in advance.

However, if you are still in doubt or confused between gestational age and fetal age, consulting a gynecologist will be very helpful.

It is important to record the date of menstruation every month

If you are planning to become pregnant, you should try to regularly record your menstrual schedule in the last few months. This habit can help you determine your fertile period, making pregnancy planning easier.

At the same time, it makes it easier for you to calculate your gestational age so you can estimate the time the baby will be born. This is because the period of ovulation, gestational age or womb, and expected day of birth are all related to the menstrual cycle.

So, always remind yourself to mark the calendar as soon as your period comes out. Do this routine every month to find out the pattern of your menstrual cycle, especially if you have a plan to have a baby.

What if you don't know or forget the date of your last menstrual period?

Knowing the date of the last menstrual period is the key to calculating gestational age and delivery, either by normal or caesarean section.

If you forget to mark it, of course it will be difficult for you to calculate the gestational age done manually.

If this happens, you don't have to worry. How to calculate gestational age can be done by checking your pregnancy with a midwife or obstetrician.

Usually, the obstetrician will perform an ultrasound to measure the length of the baby from the tip of the head to the rump (tailbone) of the baby.

This method of examination is called crown rump length (CRL). CRL can be done at around 6 to 14 weeks of gestation. The CRL can provide more accurate information about your gestational age than by calculating your manual gestational age.

Basically, the sooner you have an ultrasound, the more accurately your baby's gestational age will be known.

Furthermore, after the age of the fetus has entered the last 14 weeks, head circumference, biparietal diameter and femur length measurements can be taken to determine how your baby is developing in the womb. The length of the umbilical cord usually equals the CRL throughout pregnancy.

How accurate is it to predict the expected day of birth after the womb?

Predicting the expected day of birth by calculating gestational age is not very accurate. So, after practicing how to calculate gestational age, do not be surprised if the due date in fact does not match the estimate.

The gestational age is calculated to give you an idea of ​​how far you have gone through your pregnancy. It's also important to understand that every pregnancy is different.

So, don't be too fixated on whether or not the gestational age is correct from the results you calculate manually as previously described.

If you have further questions about how to calculate your gestational age or when your due date is due, please consult your obstetrician.

Important tips for all ages of the womb

After knowing how to calculate gestational age and its results, pregnant women are obliged to live a healthy lifestyle. The reason is, pregnancy is very risky with various problems, both for pregnant women and the fetus.

Besides knowing how to calculate gestational age, here are some things you can do, such as:

1. Take prenatal vitamins

After the doctor helps you to calculate the correct gestational age and get the results, they will generally provide you with the vitamins that you should take during pregnancy.

Prenatal vitamins contain folic acid and other essential nutrients needed during pregnancy. Folic acid is also useful for preventing birth defects from the first few weeks of pregnancy.

2. Eat healthy foods

In addition to knowing the correct way to calculate gestational age (how to calculate gestational age), pregnant women also need to pay attention to their nutritional intake.

Quoted from American Pregnancy, pregnant women must meet nutritional intake by eating foods such as green vegetables, fruit, nuts, and pasteurized milk.

Pregnant women also do not need to eat too much considering that they are already two. Just add a portion of your meal, about 300 calories per day.

3. Sports

At any gestational age, pregnant women must keep exercising. Exercise helps control weight, makes you sleep better, and prevents stress during pregnancy.

However, the choice of exercise, how to run, and how to calculate the need for this activity per day must be according to your gestational age. When pregnant, it is advisable to do sports such as yoga, swimming, or pilates.

4. Routine check with the doctor every month

After suspecting that your symptoms are a sign of pregnancy, a visit to an obstetrician is very important. The doctor will give assurance that you are pregnant or not, maybe ask some medical history.

At the next consultation, you can ask your doctor for help on how to calculate your gestational age. Next, the doctor will ask you to do several medical tests, such as:

• PAP smear
• Blood pressure test
• Sexually transmitted disease test
• Anemia risk test for pregnant women
• Check thyroid hormone levels
• Check your weight

What must be known at every gestational age

Gestational age or pregnancy usually falls into 3 trimester categories. Here are some important things that pregnant women know in each trimester, including:

1. Age of pregnancy in the first trimester (age 0-13 weeks)

At this gestational age you will begin to experience signs of early pregnancy. Starting from morning sickness, spotting, and cravings for certain foods.

In this trimester, you can apply the method of calculating gestational age so that it helps in scheduling various pregnancy-related tests.

2. Age of pregnancy in the second trimester (age 14-27 weeks)

At this gestational age, the symptoms of early pregnancy slowly subside and are replaced by more obvious physical changes. For example an enlarged stomach, begins to arise stretch marks , back pain to increased sex drive. This trimester is also often referred to as the honeymoon phase of pregnancy.

3. Age of pregnancy in the third trimester (age 28-42 weeks)

Apart from helping to determine the scheduling of a pregnancy test, the results of how to calculate gestational age can also help estimate the time of birth of the baby. The results of how to calculate gestational age also help doctors determine the birth process, namely normal or cesarean section.

In essence, at this gestational age, the day of delivery will draw closer. Make sure you have prepared all the preparations for childbirth and the various needs of your little one after birth. Towards the D-day, get plenty of rest and pregnancy exercises to launch labor.

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