One of the very first and most pressing questions of expectant mothers is: when to expect the birth of your baby. There are many ways to determine the expected date of birth of a child, but all of them are limited to one degree or another.
A gynecologist can determine the expected date of birth after collecting a medical history of a pregnant patient. However, it is quite easy to calculate the approximate future birthday of a child yourself, using an online birth calculator or the method proposed below.
Childbirth is approaching: symptoms and possible signs
How to find out if you're due soon? How can you understand that certain symptoms are signs of impending labor? We are talking about a normally developing pregnancy, when at 37–42 weeks a full-term baby is ready to be born. At this time, the onset of labor pains is possible at any time, and this process is not always accompanied by certain and diagnostically accurate signs.
From a physiological point of view, the imminent onset of labor is indicated by a change in the hormonal levels of the pregnant woman. If in the previous months the level of progesterone, a hormone that supports the normal course of pregnancy, was higher than other indicators, then closer to childbirth its amount decreases, and the amount of other hormones of the female body, especially estrogens, increases. Their role in the functioning of a woman’s body throughout her life is enormous, and as “birth hormones,” estrogens play one of the leading roles. By the time of childbirth, the cervix should soften, become elastic, distensible, in order to ensure the passage of the child through the birth canal and not delay the processes of its birth and the birth of the placenta. In addition, as soon as the level of estrogen reaches a certain value, a signal is triggered for the body that the labor process can begin, contractions and, later, pushing begin.
Before the onset of labor, biologically active substances are also included in the work: prostaglandins, histamine, hormones oxytocin, serotonin and others. Their complex combined influence triggers the processes of uterine contraction, labor itself.
But can a woman somehow feel that childbirth is near? What signals does the body give about its readiness for them? Indeed, there are so-called “birth harbingers”, and with varying degrees of probability they can indicate that a successful end to pregnancy is close.
It is necessary, however, to remember that every woman’s body is individual. The time of appearance of such signs is very variable: in some, especially in primiparous women, they are noticeable 2-3 weeks before the expected event, in others literally the day before.
In late pregnancy
When examining a woman in late pregnancy, a gynecologist can more confidently determine the exact date of birth. The doctor palpates the abdominal area in the usual way without using a gynecological chair and determines the location of the uterine fundus.
The period of 16 weeks corresponds to the location of the uterine fundus between the pubis and the navel. At 24 weeks, the fundus of the uterus is located in the navel area, and at 26 weeks, it is several centimeters above the navel.
Remember that the date of birth can only be calculated by an obstetrician, guided by experience and special knowledge.
By entrusting your pregnancy management to the specialists of our Center, you will find a faithful adviser and assistant on all issues related to pregnancy and childbirth.
In addition, the School of Motherhood at the Center has created all the conditions to best prepare the expectant mother for childbirth, both informationally and psychologically.
Descent of the abdomen
Approximate period: from 36 weeks and later. In multiparous women, this can happen a day or two before giving birth. By the end of the gestation period, coordinated changes occur in the body of the child and the mother, the meaning of which is mutual preparation for the birth of the baby.
The baby takes a certain position - presentation and places the head or pelvis tightly above the future “exit” - the entrance to the pelvis. At this time, the uterus, which has grown significantly during pregnancy, descends, and after it the diaphragm descends. Now it does not put pressure on the higher organs - the stomach, lungs. The expectant mother will notice this - breathing will become easier, the stomach will not put pressure on the stomach: rhinitis during pregnancy will decrease, heartburn will go away. Perhaps you will want to go to the toilet a little more often: the prolapsed uterus has put pressure on the bladder.
How to calculate due date in gynecology
The obstetric gestational age begins on the first day of your last period. It sounds a little strange, since at this time there is no child yet, but it is more convenient for doctors. In addition, pregnancy dates begin to be counted from the day of conception, which is usually considered the day of ovulation. Normally, ovulation occurs two weeks after the first day of the last menstruation.
This is where the problems with calculations begin. There may be two ovulations in a month, and it may also move in the opposite direction. Failure of menstruation and ovulation can specifically occur due to classic stress, taking certain medications, inflammation in the reproductive organs, and other reasons. For some women, conception is delayed and can happen right on the “safe” day - just before menstruation. For others, menstruation, on the contrary, can continue even after pregnancy. In these cases, it will be more difficult to determine the timing.
Initially, the gynecologist sets the period based on a survey of the patient and data from a gynecological examination. By palpating the uterus, the doctor determines its size, which corresponds to the period of pregnancy. The estimated duration of pregnancy, for example 6-7 weeks, is recorded on the card; this indicator serves as the starting point for calculating the date of birth.
Training or false contractions
Approximate timing of appearance: from 30 to 39 weeks.
In medicine they are called Braxton-Higgs contractions. Some women experience them at the beginning of the seventh month of pregnancy, but most still feel them by the end of the eighth month. Many people are frightened by these sensations and mistake them for premature onset of labor. But this is a subjective feeling. And to understand whether these are really training contractions, it is enough to count the intervals between spasms. Such contractions occur at irregular intervals: between the first two or three, the interval may be 10-15 minutes, and the next contraction will come in 25 minutes or half an hour.
But the true ones come at regular intervals, which is easy to detect with a watch. In addition, the symptoms during real contractions, during normal labor, do not stop, their strength and frequency increase. And Braxton-Higgs contractions end after 2-3 hours, without ever entering a uniform repetition rhythm.
However, if such contractions begin in the last days, then they may well turn into real ones. And this is also easy to determine by the clock, when uneven intervals suddenly become ordered.
If you have doubts about the type of contractions, it is better to consult a doctor. And the doctor will also tell you how to help with false contractions.
| FALSE CONTRACTS | TRUE CONTRACTIONS |
| They do not become longer, stronger or more frequent over time. The intervals between them are irregular. | Their rhythm is regular, they increase in strength, frequency and duration. |
| They may not cause pain, but manifest themselves in the form of a pulling but weak sensation, similar to menstrual sensations. The uterus becomes hard, like an elastic ball. | The sensations increase in strength, severe aching pain in the lower back may appear, as well as an unpleasant feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen. |
| Stop or weaken if you lie down, walk or stand in the shower. | They do not change or disappear if you change your body position. |
| You can fall asleep with them | You won't be able to sleep with them |
| When examined, the cervix may be slightly dilated, but this does not change over time. | Examination of the cervix shows its softening and gradual opening. |
| Usually not accompanied by bleeding. In rare cases, brownish mucus may appear. | They may be accompanied by bloody discharge in the form of mucus - this is a mucus plug coming out. |
Specialists
Egorova Elena Borisovna
Obstetrician-gynecologist of the highest qualification category.
Specializes in peritoneal factor of infertility in women and management of problematic pregnancies.
It will provide effective help if, before conception, you were diagnosed with adhesions, endometriosis, erosion or other pathologies of the cervix.
Akinshina Svetlana Vladimirovna
Obstetrician-gynecologist, hemostasiologist with an academic degree.
Pregnancy management S.V. Akinshina will help avoid severe complications: gestosis, placental insufficiency, fetal loss syndrome.
The doctor's expertise includes hemostasis disorders and immunological infertility.
Petreykov Evgeniy Rafailovich
If you are planning a pregnancy, IVF, or have a history of fetal failure in the first trimester, contact Dr. Petreikov.
A gynecologist of the highest category, Candidate of Sciences, will help determine the risk and cause of obstetric complications, and also prescribe supportive treatment for a genetic predisposition to thrombosis.
Akhmedova Larisa Maratovna
Obstetrician-gynecologist with experience in a famous Israeli clinic, expert in monitoring pregnancy and the postpartum period.
Performs surgical operations: intimate plastic surgery, removal of polyps, treatment of erosion with Surgitron radioknife. Provides consultations and examinations to couples with suspected infertility.
Unpleasant sensations and discomfort
Approximate time of appearance: 2-1.5 weeks before the onset of labor.
When there is very little time left before giving birth, many women begin to experience discomfort in the lower part of the body. The sacrum pulls and compresses, the lower abdomen seems swollen and heavy. This is the uterus preparing for childbirth and descending, the ligaments on which it is suspended gradually soften and stretch, and the child stands with his head towards the birth canal.
As a rule, these sensations are relatively well tolerated, but if it is very painful, it is better to unscheduled visit an obstetrician-gynecologist managing the pregnancy: self-medication with painkillers at such a time is unacceptable.
Calculation by date of last menstruation
At your first consultation, your gynecologist will ask you about the date of your last menstrual period and the length of your menstrual cycle. This important indicator will help calculate the estimated time of birth.
This method is suitable only for those women whose menstrual cycle is regular and lasts 28 days. Otherwise, the doctor's assumptions will not be as accurate.
It must be remembered that 14 days pass from the time of ovulation to the start of menstruation, therefore, for a regular cycle, the doctor calculates the day of conception by subtracting 14 days from the number of days of the cycle. For example, with a 29-day cycle, ovulation occurs on the 15th day, and with a 26-day cycle - on the 12th.
Mucus plug
Estimated departure time: 37 - 38 weeks.
The mucus plug begins to form at 6-8 weeks of pregnancy, and consists of secretions from the cervical canal, which, under the influence of hormones, thicken and become a real plug, blocking the passage of bacteria into the uterus to the fertilized egg. It appears as a dense jelly-like or slimy mass, clear to brown in color or with reddish streaks. In preparation for childbirth, the cervix becomes shorter and the plug is pushed out.
Its appearance does not always indicate the onset of labor, especially since the timing of its release is very variable: it can take from a couple of weeks to a couple of hours from its appearance to the start of the labor process. Often its release does not occur simultaneously, some comes out in advance, and some remains until the contractions. Many women note that this process is preceded by nagging pain in the lower abdomen.
Using ultrasound
Ultrasound diagnostics is the most reliable way to calculate the due date for up to 12 weeks. The determining factor for diagnosis is the size of the fetus.
After the 12th week of pregnancy, an ultrasound will not provide accurate information about the gestational age based on the size of the embryo.
It must be taken into account that each child develops individually, and its size depends largely on:
- parents' constitutions;
- mother's nutrition;
- genetic predisposition.
You should not trust ultrasound in late pregnancy. A mother with a larger baby may be given a due date that is too early. And a woman with a small fetus will have to rush to the maternity hospital, because she will expect the baby’s birthday much later.
The appearance of bloody discharge
Approximate timing of appearance: after 35 weeks.
A typical situation that provokes the appearance of blood smears is a visit and examination by a gynecologist, sex. This blood is not a sign of bleeding. It only means that the hormonal system has adjusted to the prenatal period, the cervix and vagina have become loose and filled with blood. Even casual and gentle pressure on the vaginal wall leads to the appearance of a few drops of blood - precisely from overcrowding. And if only a small “daub” appears, then it is not dangerous.
Dyspeptic disorders
Possible timing of manifestation: 37 - 42 weeks.
Towards the end of pregnancy, under the influence of many factors, including hormonal ones, the functioning of many organs adjacent to the uterus changes. The intestines begin to move more actively, its peristalsis becomes more frequent and stronger. This leads to a more frequent urge to defecate, and the stool becomes very soft or unformed.
Dilatation of the cervix may also be accompanied by the urge to vomit and nausea. But, despite the fact that such complaints are quite typical, they require a medical examination. Nausea and vomiting can be combined with other symptoms - hypertension, fainting, spots flashing before the eyes, which may indicate the development of a serious, critical complication of pregnancy.
Fetal changes during pregnancy
- The first trimester includes the first 14 weeks of gestation. This is the most important period during which the child’s organs and systems are formed. By the end of this stage, basically all the main organs are formed, but are still in their infancy. The child has a four-chambered heart, which begins to beat in the 3rd week, a brain, and fingers and nails. Active movements begin towards the end of the trimester.
- The second trimester includes weeks 15-27. The rudimentary organs continue to develop. Nerve cells are developed, allowing them to receive information from the outside (touch space, recognize sounds). The hematopoietic system produces red blood cells and white blood cells. The urinary system and intestines begin to function. Hair appears on the head. Oxygen enters through the placenta.
- The third trimester begins from the 28th week. The child gains vision and taste, develops reflexes, and produces hormones. There is active growth and weight gain. A layer of fat appears. The immune system and nervous system are completing their formation. By the end of pregnancy, the fetus completes development, weighs about 3 kg, height +/- 50 cm.
How can you tell when labor is starting?
The harbingers appear and then subside, and things are steadily moving towards childbirth. What will tell a woman that it’s time to go to the maternity hospital, what signs indicate with greater or less certainty that everything will begin soon?
Physiologically occurring childbirth goes through three main stages, each of which is accompanied by certain processes. The first stage is the beginning of labor, a process when the cervix dilates and shortens, amniotic fluid breaks, and contractions begin. The second, the actual birth of the child, is called the period of exile. And childbirth ends with the birth of the placenta.
The beginning of the first period may be indicated by the breaking of water. To do this, the amniotic sac must open. This can happen spontaneously, and sometimes not just before the onset of labor, but a little earlier. This phenomenon requires medical supervision, because before contractions begin, the amniotic sac is needed: it not only protects the baby and the uterus, but is also part of the system that stimulates the process of delivery. Therefore, if there are signs of water leakage, a woman should consult a doctor or undergo a leakage test.
- There may be minor pain, ranging from mild discomfort to moderate cramping pain.
- the feeling of warm liquid in the perineum may indicate that leakage or overflow has begun.
Such symptoms during childbirth require observation: it is necessary to monitor the child’s vital activity, the quantity and quality of the fluid that is released. So, if the waters contain an excessive amount of whitish suspended matter, or if they have a greenish tint, then this may indicate the child’s suffering, including hypoxia.
A small amount of water does not always indicate the exact beginning of labor. But if the volume of discharge is significant - from 800 ml or more, then, most likely, contractions are about to begin.
How to accurately determine the due date - ultrasound of the fetus and no amateur activities!
The most reliable method for determining the due date is an ultrasound examination of the fetus, called pregnancy screening. The ultrasound specialist, based on the readings of the device, compares the size of the fetus with the standard and makes a verdict - the gestational age and the date of the PDR (preliminary date of birth). Or rather, this way you can very accurately determine the duration of pregnancy, and the date of birth will be estimated, since, as we noted above, it depends on many factors.
It is not for nothing that there is a proverb among pregnant women: “PDR was invented by the enemy,” since the coincidence of birth with the date set by the specialist does not always happen.
Causes of premature and delayed births:
- Body parameters of a pregnant woman
. State of health, structure and condition of the uterus. - Hormonal balance
(labor begins under the influence of a hormone that stimulates uterine contractions). - Fetal parameters
. Development depends on the quality of blood supply, genetic characteristics, location, etc. - Presence of dangerous infections
. A number of infectious diseases can cause premature birth. - Injuries, stress and other factors
.
The appearance of contractions
They begin gradually, gradually. These are rhythmically repeating, uncontrollable sensations of contraction and relaxation of the uterus. Their main difference from training contractions is their repetition at relatively equal intervals of time. There is always a pause between contractions, during which the woman does not experience pain or cramps. The contraction itself is felt as a rather painful contraction with tension in the abdominal wall (the stomach “turns to stone”). Their strength, severity and frequency gradually increase, pauses become shorter. At that time:
- I period: the cervix opens;
- II period: the child moves along the birth canal, from where it is expelled by pushing.
- III period: the placenta is born during contractions.
At the beginning of the first labor period, contractions last on average 10-15 seconds, and the breaks between them reach 20 minutes. As the cervix dilates, each contraction lengthens and the intervals between them shorten. Towards the end of the opening, contractions can occur every 2 minutes with the same short intervals.
The amniotic sac opens, the water comes out, and the contractions “release” a little. This dynamics suggests that the second stage of labor is approaching, by which time the woman should already be under the supervision of doctors.
The appearance of at least one of the signs indicating the onset of labor is a reason for referral to a specialized institution (maternity hospital, perinatal center or clinic).
