I just found out I'm pregnant and my doctor mentioned being a certain number of weeks. I'm a bit confused about how they calculate it. Do they count from the last period or from conception?
They calculate using the first day of your last period, which adds about two 'phantom' weeks to your pregnancy. Your first ultrasound, usually the dating scan around 8-10 weeks, will confirm the exact gestational age. Let your doctor guide you on the final due date.
Yes, they count from your last period's first day. It can be a bit confusing at first, especially when you are anxious about early scans. Just trust your doctor's dating scan in the first trimester, as that gives the most accurate age of the baby.
Doctors use your Last Menstrual Period (LMP) to start the count. Even though actual conception happens about two weeks later, LMP is the standard baseline. It's much easier to track this way, especially when you have to plan your maternity leaves.
They count it from the first day of your last period, which feels so weird because you weren't even pregnant then! It's like counting calories from before you actually ate the chocolate cake, haha. But yes, that is how the gynac calendar works!
Oh, I panicked so much about this! I thought my doctor got the calculations wrong because my weeks didn't match the day we actually tried. Later my gynac explained that they always count from the first day of LMP. It is completely normal, don't worry!
