QuestionDear Brenda,
Thank you for your previous answer. I am still a but confused though. I did some research online, and with a 32 day cycle, the results said that I have a due date of July 15 rather than the 16th, and that I ovulated on Oct. 23? Does this sound correct? Also, I believe that I was a day off, and instead of being supposed to be 6 weeks and 6 days, it was 6 weeks and 5 days(counting from my lmp of Oct. 5), even though the embryo only measured 6 weeks and 1 day,therefore a 4 day difference, from a 28 to 32 day cycle. Does that sound right? Since I was with my husband on the 19th and 20th of October, how can I have ovulated/conceived on the 23rd, which is a couple of days later on? I would also like to know if it is possible to ovulate early on with a 32 day cycle. For example, could I have ovulated on the 19th or 20th, or is that simply too early since I cycle every 32 days? Also, since my cycle was a bit later than 28 days (4 days), does this mean that at all of my sonogram checkups, I was 4 days behind how far I thought I really was? From what I have read from your previous replies to other women, the early ultrasounds are very accurate. My 20 week ultrasound said I was measuring at July 14th (later ovulation or just a bit small?) ,even though my due date was kept for the 11th. From what I have read, the due date is based on lmp and not changed unless there is more than week difference between the lmp and sonogram dates. Can this be why my due date was still kept as the same and not changed? Sheesh, as you can see, this is all still confusing to me:-)Thanks for your time and help.
AnswerDear Trisha,
Women are expected to ovulate approximately 14 days prior to the beginning of the onset of the next period - based on how the menstrual cycle works. So, with a 32 day cycle history and a 10/5 LMP date, you would have been expected to ovulate on/about 10/23. Conception would have taken place within 24 hours of ovulation because an egg will only survive for up to 24 hours unless fertilized (thus by 10/24). On the other hand, sperm cells can survive up to five days under ideal conditions once past the cervix. So if you had unprotected intercourse on 10/20, that would have been within that five day window of ovulation and sperm cells from that encounter could have fertilized the egg.
Also, I do calculate an estimated due date of 7/15 using this scenario. But it is important to know that only 5% of babies are born on their due date. The 20 week U/S giving an estimated due date of 7/14 is absolutely inconsequential. Babies growth patterns will vary once past the first trimester AND one day difference is really nothing at all. If it was 1-2 week, that would be something to be concerned about and start investigating a reason for.
Hope that helps. Be well!
Brenda
