What is the obstetrical week?
The duration of a woman's special condition is measured in obstetric months and weeks. An obstetric week lasts the same as a regular one. A month lasts 4 weeks.Obstetric pregnancy weeks will help determinethe estimated date of delivery Photo: Getty The midwife's gestation period is 14 days longer than the actual one. Pregnant worried about a lot of questions, one of them - why does it make such a difference.
Why are maternity weeks considered pregnant?
It is a mistake to believe that pregnancy occurs inthe moment of fertilization of the egg by the sperm. In reality, pregnancy can be confirmed after the fertilized egg is implanted in the uterus. This does not always happen. For various reasons, the body may reject the embryo, then pregnancy does not occur, despite fertilization. This process usually occurs either at the moment of ovulation or during the following day. Therefore, the embryonic maturity of the fetus can be considered from the moment of ovulation. However, this method is not suitable for further monitoring of pregnancy, since the date of ovulation can shift. Even in completely healthy girls, ovulation can begin a little earlier or later than the due date. Because of this, it is impossible to accurately calculate the embryonic age of the fetus.Ultrasound does not help determine how many days the fetus isPhoto: Getty Obstetric terms began to be calculated in ancient times, when about the peculiarities of the female body there was little that was known, including doctors of those years and about ovulation did not know. The main symptom of pregnancy was absence of menstruation. Therefore, to consider the period of development of pregnancy began with the date of the last menstruation. This method is quite accurate, so obstetric terms take into account and modern gynecologists. It is for him that they lead a pregnancy. If you want to conceive a child, you can simplify the task for doctors. Use ovulation tests or determine this period of your cycle using improvised methods, for example, by measuring the temperature. So you will know exactly the date of conception of the child and you will be able to determine the date of birth closest to reality.
How to calculate the obstetrics?
It is generally accepted that pregnancy lasts 9months. But here the question arises: which months to count, because one has 28 days, another 30, and a third can even have 31. Here the calculation of the obstetric period comes to the rescue, according to which the pregnancy lasts exactly 40 weeks. To calculate the expected date of birth, you can act in two ways:
- From the end of the last menstruation before pregnancy, count 280 days.
- From the beginning of the last menstruation, count 9 months and 7 days.
Any of these ways you will getthe estimated date of your visit to the hospital. However, remember that the date is not just called presumptive. Rarely do women give birth on time. Normally, labor comes from the 38th to the 42nd week. A child born before the 38th week will be considered premature, and after the 42nd week - postponed. In the interval between the 38th and 42nd week the baby can be born immature, but he will always be considered full.
Is it possible to determine the term using ultrasound?
The hope is that the ultrasound examinationdetermine the period of your pregnancy, is unjustified. This study can assess the degree of development of the child according to its obstetric age. Therefore, the period should be estimated before going to the ultrasound doctor's office. Now you know how important the obstetric period is. During pregnancy, each stage plays its role, so approach this issue responsibly.