So you just found out you are expecting. The first question you will want an answer to, is when did it happen? You may want to use a Due Date Calculator or Pregnancy Calculator to figure out exactly where you are in your pregnancy. Some women know the exact moment of conception, either because it was a planned pregnancy or manipulated by scientific processes, such as during in vitro fertilization or other type of assisted procedure.
Once you have entered this date, the Due Date Calculator will compute how many weeks pregnant you are, and the approximate date you will deliver. A pregnancy calendar is also nice to have, because it shows the various stages of development the fetus progresses through during each of the three trimesters.
From the moment of conception, momentous changes occur as the egg becomes a fertilized Embryo and then a tiny developing Fetus. By the time many women find out that they are pregnant, the Fetus is well on its way to being a completely formed little human. Women may have no symptoms of pregnancy until they miss a menstrual cycle, which may be the first or second cycle after conception.
If a pregnancy is suspected, a home pregnancy test can confirm or deny your suspicions rather quickly. Once you know you are pregnant, you should call and schedule an appointment with an obstetrician, who will confirm that you are indeed pregnant (unless of course it is obvious!), and calculate your due date by using a pregnancy wheel or Due Date Calculator.
If there is any discrepancy between the Due Date Calculator and the physical exam, dates can be better confirmed with an Ultrasound, which can be performed easily in the Obstetrician's office. The size of the fetus should correspond with the number of weeks that have passed since conception, which should also correspond with the due date pregnancy.
If the development of the Fetus is ahead or behind where it should be, then the date of conception is not correct, and neither is the date of delivery according to the Due Date Calculator. If menstrual cycles are irregular, then the Due Date Calculator will be less accurate, since ovulation does not occur regularly.
Other women know exactly when conception occurred because they have had a limited number of encounters, leaving little room for doubt. Once you know the date of conception, you can use the Due Date Calculator to find out the tentative date for delivery of your special arrival. Pregnancy Due Date Calculators can be found on many sites on the web, and most only require you to enter the last day of your last menstrual cycle.
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