QuestionI went and got my first ultrasound and they told me I was 14 weeks is that gestational or fetal age? Also i gave them a lmp of oct. 27 2011 which would make my due date aug 3 2012.. The ultrasound was 9 daye off. They changed my due date to July 24 2012 which would make my lmp oct 18 2011.. Which I know it was a period and I believe I concieved 2 days after my period because I had sex the last day of my period and probably more days after.. But they are trying to say maybe your period wasnt a period. I know my periods and they all work the same lasting about 4 days.
AnswerDear Marie,
The ultrasound gives the amount of weeks since your LMP. So if they say 14 weeks, that means the fetal age is 12 weeks. The problem is that at 14 weeks an ultrasound isn't perfectly accurate anymore. Later in pregnancy it could be 2 weeks off! So if you are sure about your LMP, I would suggest insisting that they put your due date back to August 3. The reason I suggest that is because many practitioners will insist in an induction at 40 weeks (which you can refuse, by just not showing up when they say to). But on July 24 your baby will not yet be 40 weeks - it will be younger, which means it's not ready to be born yet.
There's no reason to induce unless it's already 42 weeks and they do a biophysical profile or a non-stress test (BPP or NST) and discover that the baby is not growing well, or not healthy in some way. Inducing without a clear medical benefit is never good for mom or baby, and may increase the chance of needing a cesarean, or having a preemie by mistake, because they didn't calculate the dates right. Knowing your Bishop's score (how ready your cervix and uterus are for labor) is also important before inducing.
A baby can safely go to 42 weeks, and some studies say even longer, as long as the tests come back OK.
Feel free to email again if you have more questions or need clarification.
Remember - you are in charge of your health, and the baby's, not your doctor. S/he can make suggestions, but the DECISION is up to you. Make sure you know the pros and cons of everything they suggest before you make a decision, and if you're not sure, get a second opinion.
Best of luck,
Sheva
PS Based on the way cycles work, a woman ovulates (releases her egg) about 14 days before she is due for her next period. So if you have 30 day cycles, you ovulate on day 16, approximately, which makes you able to conceive from days 12 through 22, approximately.
