QuestionMy age is 58,I'm male,and I'm doing some research.I'm not married,nor do I have a girlfriend at this time.I have asked obgyn doctors these questions.The only reply I have recieved is have her contact her ob doctor.This is only for my personal information.
My questions are as follows,first..how is the exact date of conception and date of delivery determined in todays technology? Is it still from the last menstral cycle?Second...At what point in the pregnancy does it start to show?I have always heard anywhere from 8-12 weeks.Third...What is the earliest point in the development is the sex able to be determined? I have always heard anytime between 2 1/2 and 4 months.
I have tried to find the fetal development process on the web and have had no luck.Maybe you can share this info with me and direct me to a web site where I can get answers.
Thank You for your time
Kenneth Beair Jr
AnswerThe most accurate determination of the due date is still based on the first day of the last menstrual period. To determine the due date, add seven days and subtract three months from the first day of the last period. We than confirm this at a 20 week sonogram (which is the most accurate time to do a sonogram). Usually, a woman starts to "show" at around 18-20 weeks gestation. Males and females are determined at different times. Actually, genetically this is determined by the father when his chromosomes (X or Y) are joined with the mothers. However, secondary sexual characteristics are noted at around 11-12 weeks for males, when we can see a penis and a scrotum. Females spend much more time producing ova until around 20 weeks, when we can see female secondary sexual characteristics. Of course, amniocentesis can definitely tell the sex of the baby by seeing if there is an XX chromosome (female) or a XY chromosome (male).
