All women carrying the first child are wondering how to understand how long the pregnancy is. What is the principle to consider, how to tell a doctor correctly, what to answer with friends and how to explain to a husband - let's consider in order.
How many weeks in a calendar month?
In one calendar month, 4 full calendar weeks — 28 days. To calculate the monthly duration of pregnancy, knowing the weekly term, use the formula: the number of full weeks is divided by 4. As a result, the current month of pregnancy will be obtained. If the number is odd, it is rounded in accordance with mathematical laws: more than 5 - to a greater number, less than 5 - to a smaller one.
For example:
- How many months in the 14th week: 14/4 = 3.5 = 4. If you count on the calendar from January 1 (for simplicity), then the period will correspond to the beginning of April - the 4th month;
- 29 weeks. 29/4 = 7.25 = 7: according to mathematical calculations, the period should correspond to the 7th month of pregnancy. According to the calendar (January 1), the 29th falls in the middle of July - the 7th month.
Pregnancy by week, trimester and month
Pregnancy conditionally and not conditionally "measured" by several units. As in the cartoon "38 parrots" - how long is the boa. The boa was measured in parrots, monkeys and elephants. The length of the boa itself did not change. Similarly with pregnancy.
The gestation period is calculated in:
- weeks - obstetric term;
- months - the unit of measure is understood by absolutely everyone;
- trimesters - the main periods of fetal development.
In weeks, the period of gestation is calculated by obstetricians and gynecologists. First, such a period is easiest to calculate, starting from the date of the last menstruation. Secondly, the stages of fetal development are calculated precisely by weeks.
Month - the term is clear and accessible to everyone. When acquaintances ask about the gestational age, the answer to "23 weeks" will confuse them. The same must be counted. But "6 months" is understandable. Nevertheless, experts also do not neglect the monthly calculation, using it for their highly specialized needs.
Trimester is a medical term describing one third of the common gestational age. Theoretically, it is 3 months.
By science it is proved that each of the three stages of fetal development carries some peculiarities:
- The first trimester is characterized by active production of the hormone of pregnancy - progesterone, toxicosis, the probability of miscarriage or miscarriage, not active growth of the abdomen, the formation of the fetus in a person.
- The second trimester is characterized by the absence of toxicosis, a rapid growth of the abdomen, relative safety, and all organs and systems are actively formed and developed in the fetus.
- The third trimester - the abdomen grows slower, the likelihood of preterm delivery is high, edema begins, an almost fully formed body gains weight, the development of some systems ends. The features of each stage are due to the work of hormones, the corresponding changes in the female body and the peculiarities of the pregnancy itself.
Calendar of pregnancy
- In the first three weeks, an embryo is formed from the fertilized egg.
- From the 4th to the 8th the embryo forms into a tiny little man: the head, limbs, facial features form, ears appear, the laying of the main systems and organs begins. Each organ and system is "laid" in a certain period. It is during the bookmark that it is important to provide the fetus with the most comfortable conditions. In this case, the child will not have congenital abnormalities.
- From 9th to 36th - organs and systems grow and develop.
- From the 38th, the fetus is considered to be fully formed and ready to be born.
24 weeks of pregnancy - how many months?
You can use mathematics: 24/4 = 6.
If we count the weeks starting from the first of January (it is easier to navigate in months), then 24 will correspond to the middle of June.
The actual period is 5 full months and another 14 days.
Week 24 enters the final phase of the second trimester. At this time, the stomach is already clearly visible, bulging, the hormonal background in the woman’s body has stabilized and there are another 1-2 weeks to lead an active life and a visit to the dentist.
Duration of pregnancy
The average gestation period is 40 weeks. During this time, the fetus is fully formed and after birth can independently live. If you round the date to months, the term will be 9 full. This does not mean that if the baby is born before the 40th week, it will be premature. There is always an error, in addition, the rate of development of the fetus is individual.
A baby born at 37-38 weeks can be completely healthy, full-term and viable. The same applies to exceeding the term - to bear for 41 or 42 weeks is not something terrible.
There are cases when healthy children gave birth at 43-44 weeks. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the mother and her offspring. It is dangerous or not dangerous to overstretch a child, only a specialist can decide, after conducting a set of analyzes and research.
Good to know
The actual duration of pregnancy and the period set on the first visit to the gynecologist differ by almost 2 weeks. The reason for this is the method of calculating the day of conception. Prior to the planned ultrasound, which determines the stage of development of the fetus, which can be more clearly defined period, the gynecologist puts the estimated date of conception - the day of the beginning of the last menstruation. In fact, after the last month of pregnancy was not yet, but from this period a woman (theoretically) can already conceive.
The actual pregnancy occurs after ovulation - the release of an egg from the ovary. The process takes place in the middle of the monthly cycle - 10-12 days before the next monthly periods. In case of successful fertilization, the body will need exactly 12 days to prepare the uterus for bearing and normalize the hormonal background. In women with a short monthly cycle, this period can be reduced to 10 days.
A preliminary date of birth is calculated after the first planned ultrasound and a more accurate gestational age.
On the first ultrasound, it is customary to take a picture of a child - the fetus is sufficiently formed and fully visible. On all subsequent ultrasounds, the fetus will be large and will not fully fit into the screen. For a memorable picture, such photos will not work. You can notify a specialist in advance about the desire to receive a photo for memory.
The second trimester is considered the most "safe". The female body is accustomed to pregnancy, the hormonal background has stabilized and will begin to change only from the 3rd trimester, preparing for childbirth, the systems and organs of the fetus are formed. A woman can afford to travel, treatment at the dentist, active sports for pregnant women and even flights (if absolutely necessary).
In the third trimester, special attention should be paid to the heart and kidneys. The load on them doubles, causing swelling and shortness of breath. It is recommended to use foods that facilitate the work of the kidneys, and not to overload the heart - to reduce cardio load, reduce the dose of coffee, breathe more fresh air.
