Figure Out My Date of Conception

From LoveToKnow Pregnancy

The figure out my date of conception puzzle can be confusing, especially for women who have irregular cycles. There are many reasons that knowing the specific moment of conception is important, whether practical or sentimental. Getting the facts about menstrual cycles and ovulation is crucial when you are trying to conceive and it can be a great start to figuring out when your baby was conceived as well.

conception date

Figure Out My Date of Conception

Knowing the expected delivery date, or EDD, is an integral part of determining the estimated day of conception. Naegele’s Rule is a standard approach to determine the baby’s due date that is popular for among physicians. Once the EDD is established, you can estimate the date of conception.

Naegele's Rule

Naegele’s Rule is a calculation that obstetricians use to estimate the possible delivery date. The method requires you to know the first day of your last period (LMP). The calculation is as follows:

  • Determine the LMP
  • Date back three months
  • Add seven days

This relatively simple calculation carries some assumptions that may not be accurate for everyone. Assumptions include:

  • The pregnancy lasts 40 weeks
  • The patient has a 28-day cycle
  • Ovulation occurs two weeks after conception

The significance is the two-week span of time after the first day of the last period. It is likely that conception occurs roughly 14 days after the LMP. An important aspect of calculating pregnancy progression is the difference between gestational and embryonic ages.

Gestational Age

The LMP method calculated with Naegele’s Rule determines the approximate gestational age of the baby. The gestational age is also referred to as the menstrual age and it begins before [Pregnancy Symptoms|pregnancy symptoms] appear. This approach usually differs from the embryonic age by roughly two weeks.

Embryonic Age

The embryonic age is the age of the embryo from the time of fertilization. Other designations for the embryonic age are:

  • Developmental age
  • Conceptual age
  • Fertilization age

This is significant because intercourse and ovulation may not occur on the same day. A couple may have intercourse followed by ovulation, conception, and implantation.

Online Pregnancy Conception Calculators

Online resources are available that can help you figure out the date a baby was conceived. Conception calculators work in a number of ways, but they have one thing in common: each typically requires you to know the first day of your last period.

  • American Pregnancy Association offers estimations that are based on averages. Visitors simply enter the first day of their last menstrual cycle and the average length of time between cycles. The site provides estimated:
    • Fertility window
    • Conception date
    • Gestational age
    • Due date
  • Healthy Bump features a conception calculator that helps you figure out which date of conception will lead to a particular date of birth. For example, if you would like to have a baby on the December 25, simply click that date on the calendar and the site provides the suggested date of conception at April 3.
  • Pregnancy and Baby offers a calculator that provides estimated dates of conception ranging from 25-day to 38-day cycles. Visitors simply enter the first date of their last period to get the results.
  • Discovery Health features an interesting pregnancy-calculating tool that you can use to calculate forward and backward. With the tool, you can estimate:
    • Date of conception
    • End of the first trimester
    • End of the second trimester
    • Delivery date

The calculator allows you to calculate forward by entering the LMP or calculate backward by entering the expected date of delivery.

Other Alternatives

Since you may not know the exact day that your last menstrual period began, there are other alternatives to consider. Clinical assessment can help establish the gestational age of the baby, providing an estimated date of conception. Two common approaches include physical examination and ultrasounds.

During the physical examination, an obstetrician determines an approximate date of conception using your history and a blood test of hormone levels. This approach is not the most accurate, but it can provide a general guideline if you do not know the first day of your last menstrual period.

Ultrasounds can provide an estimate in the first trimester. The baby’s size and development in conjunction with the information you provide about your pregnancy can determine a possible date of conception. This estimate can be between five and seven days off the mark.

As for now, no exact measurement addresses the figure out my date of conception puzzle. However, you can get a general idea using various methods..


 


Comments

Nomkhitha,

assuming you had a regular cycle, you probably conceived around January 20.

-- Contributed by: HollySwanson

I want to figure out as to when did i concieve my EDD was the 13/10/2007

-- Contributed by: nomkhitha

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