How Many Weeks Pregnant are You?

It is important to know how many weeks pregnant you are so that you will know what to expect in the coming weeks and months before you give birth. Pregnancies are great and exciting moments in the lives of women, couples and families. You will not be able to tell the exact date when you conceived the baby although you will have an idea how many weeks along you are. Determining this will also help you to know when your probable due date is. An easy way to get an idea of how many weeks pregnant you are is by recalling when you last had your menstruation. However, not all women have regular menstrual periods. If this is the case, there are many other methods women can do to get an idea how far along they are - some of which can be done at home.

• Determining how many weeks pregnant you are and what your due date is are easy if you know when you last had your period. Subtract three months from the first day of your last menstrual period. Add 7 days to it and the result of this is your due date. To know how far along you are, subtract 40 weeks from your due date. Count the weeks from that time until the week you are in.
• Another simple method you can do at home is by measuring your tummy. Hold the beginning of the measuring tape just above your pubic bone. Stretch the tape around and upward and stop at your belly button. The number of centimeters you will get is also approximately the number of weeks you are pregnant.
• The best way for you to know how for along you are is by going to the doctor. He or she will advise you to undergo some tests in order to measure your hormones. From this, the doctor can get an idea how pregnant you are. The doctor will also check the size of your uterus. Its measurement in centimeters is equal to the number of weeks you have been pregnant.
• Doctors do not require their patients to have an ultrasound but if the patient is not sure when her last menstrual period was, it may be advised. In these cases, an ultrasound is the best way for the doctor to know how many weeks pregnant the patient is. If fetal heartbeat can be heard, you are most probably already in your 9th to 12th week of pregnancy. If you can already feel your baby moving, you are 16 to 22 weeks pregnant.

A normal pregnancy lasts somewhere between 38 to 42 weeks. It is common for mothers to give birth 2 weeks earlier than their due date. Once you have determined how many weeks pregnant you are, speak with your doctor to know what steps you should take to ensure that you will have a healthy pregnancy. This is very important particularly if you will be giving birth for the first time.