One of the most important things you will be told when you find out you are pregnant is your due date. This date is then the marker for the rest of your pregnancy. However these things are not set in stone and it is worth considering what factors can delay the due date of a baby.
The due date that you are given is actually an estimated date and very few babies are born exactly on that day, roughly 5%. About 80% are born in the ten days either side of their due date with the rest falling on other dates completely.
A pregnancy is classed as going full term if it lasts anywhere between 37-42 weeks rather than reaching one specific date. The fact of the matter is that all pregnancies do not last the same amount of time.
One of the main reasons the due date will be delayed is due to this date being an estimation. Your due date is worked out by using the assumption that your pregnancy will consist of ten lunar months with each other these lasting 28 days. Specifically your due date is calculated by looking at the first day of your last menstruation and adding 280 days.
It is assumed that your menstrual cycle lasts 28 days whereas many women have a longer or shorter cycle. If you have a cycle of more than 28 days then you are likely to have a pregnancy lasting longer than 40 weeks and therefore your baby would be classed as overdue.
There is no definitive reason to explain why some pregnancies go past their due date while others don't even reach it. A few factors have been identified which may play a part in this. There is evidence to show that hereditary factors may have something to do with this. You are more likely to go over your due date if your mother gave birth past hers.
There may be a link with racial factors to but this needs to be further explored. Those who suffer when there is a change in the season and those who work shifts tend to have longer pregnancies. It is thought that these interfere with your cycle and therefore can make you go past your due date.
Studies have shown that you are more likely to go past your due date if you are expecting a boy although there is no evidence as to why this is. It is also thought that some congenital abnormalities can result in a prolonged pregnancy as they interfere with the body's natural signals that bring about labor. If you or your unborn baby have any congenital abnormality then you will be closely monitored throughout your pregnancy for any sign of complications.
If you have not given birth by the time you reach 42 weeks then your pregnancy is called post-term or prolonged. When you reach this point your doctor will suggest an induction. There are health risks if you go too far past 42 weeks. However you should not worry if you go past your due date. This is very common and every pregnancy lasts for a different length of time.
Find out the best way to use a conception date calculator by searching online. Learn how to get the due date calculator by conception date . Go online today for more!
