So confused, how far along am I?

07302014baby

My LMP was October 23rd.

I went to my first ultrasound at the ER on December 26th.

The ultrasound said I was 7 weeks along.

But I've been reading two books, that said I was 9 weeks along (counting from first day of last period)

But the books say the first 2 weeks you aren't actually pregnant. 

Which WOULD make the baby 7 weeks.

But Im confused. 

Does the ultrasound count the first two weeks as non-pregnancy also? So would I have been 7 weeks but the baby 5 weeks?

* I care because I want to be reading the right chapters in the books, so that I have an accurate understanding of how big baby is, etc.

Jags8

Doctors almost always go by your LMP because its easier to determine when you had your LMP versus when you ovulated. From there, they count to 40 weeks later and say that that is your EDD. However, that only works if you have a "perfect" 28 day cycle and you ovulated on CD14. For me, I have a 33-35 day cycle, so estimating by LMP would be way off.

Were you charting your BBT before you got pregnant? If so, start at the day you ovulated and count to 38 weeks later.

07302014baby

40 weeks after my LMP would be a DD of July 30th.

But the ultrasound tech gave me a DD of August 12.

So if that makes me (at the time of my ultrasound) 7 weeks, then is the baby also 7 weeks? Or do they still count the first two weeks eventhough you arent really pregnant.....making the baby 5 weeks?

QueenOfSpades622

I would go with the US results because as far as my knowledge goes(nurse not radiology tech) they base that on the size which unless you have a fetus not growing properly is more accurate.

QueenOfSpades622

*Probably

SmileyJay

Do you have an obgyn? Did they tell you how many weeks you are? Do you know when you conceived or ovulated?

The date of your last period is only meaningful if you have a 28 day cycle and ovulate on day 14, or pretty close to that. You are 2 weeks pregnant the day you ovulate. Count 38 weeks from that and that is your due date. 

The ultrasound tech is going off of measurements and not the date of your last period. This is usually pretty accurate but also leads to many people being induced early because they think they are 42 weeks pregnant when they are really 39 or so and just had no idea when they got pregnant. Your doctor will continue to monitor you and adjust your due date based on your measurements. 

Your baby is measuring at 7 weeks, so that is what you would read about right now.

Jags8

According to the EDD that the u/s tech gave you of Aug. 12th, you would be 9w2d right now. That's what I'm getting when I count backwards from Aug. 12th.

jnnfrrose6

My understanding is doctors go by LMP until you have an U/S.  With that said, as @Jags8 stated, using LMP assumes a ovulation on day 14, which isn't accurate for everyone.  However, once they do a dating ultrasound, they give you an EDD based on babies size.  With this, though, they are still using averages of how big a baby is based on an assumed 14 day ovulation, so they will still tell a date that is based on O/baby's size + 14 days.  

Basically, you are 2 weeks "pregnant" before you are actually KTFU and you should go by what the u/s tech said.

JNCPro3130

Just curious, those of you that don't have the "perfect" 28 day cycle and chart your cycle, did you give your ovulation day (or the time around ovulation) or did you still go by the LMP? 

mobraniff

So in my family babies grow big- my mom was actually given four or five due dates for my older brother as the ultrasounds happened (imagine being told you were going to deliver in early Sept and the baby decides to show up in Nov!) A similar thing happened with my sister. So it is very possible baby is just growing really well and the new date means nothing. I would go by the LMP date just so you don't go crazy. That is the date your Ob/GYN will be using. 

Jags8

No, do not go by your LMP. That can be WAY off (because of my long cycles, my EDD could be off by about 12 days). In the beginning of pregnancy, ultrasounds are very accurate at determining EDD, because there is very little variation in size of the fetus.

As you go later into your pregnancy, THEN it is much harder to determine the true size of the fetus/baby, so it becomes less accurate. But if you got your ultrasound at 7 weeks, that will be quite accurate.