How Many Weeks Pregnant Am I? Tips to Calculate Your Gestational Age
Have you taken a pregnancy test recently and discovered that you are, in fact, pregnant? You’re likely feeling all types of emotions and asking all kinds of questions, including, “How far along am I?” and “Now what?” As you work through your thoughts and emotions, we’re here to support you through it all, even down to helping you calculate the gestational age of your pregnancy. Knowing how many weeks pregnant you are means that you’ll be able to know your options and plan your next steps.
How Many Weeks Pregnant Am I? Let’s Do the Math
Calculating the gestational age of your pregnancy doesn’t take a lot of math at all, and the process is pretty simple. Just count how many days it’s been since you started your last period.
It can seem strange to count all the way back to the first day of your most recent period, especially since that can include two to four weeks before conception even happened. But the reason it’s calculated this way is because the first day of your last period started a brand-new menstrual cycle in which your ovaries released a new egg, and that egg became fertilized.
It’s standard to assume ovulation occurs two weeks after your last period, but that’s not always the case, even for women who are super regular with their cycles. In fact, for most women, it’s impossible to know off the top of their heads exactly when they are ovulating and when they are not. It’s just easier to count backward to the start of the cycle in which you became pregnant, or the first day of your last period.
Keep in mind that calculating your gestational age or trying to figure out on your own how many weeks pregnant you are is all approximate or a guesstimation. The only way to know exactly how far along you are is to have an ultrasound from a trusted clinic or medical provider.
Calculating Gestational Age: An Example
So. Let’s say that today is December 1. The first day of your last period was October 15. If we count the days between these two dates, we’ll see that it’s 47 days. That means you are two days away from being roughly seven weeks pregnant.
What If I Don’t Remember Which Day My Last Period Started?
If you don’t remember the starting date of your last period, that is totally normal and totally fine. Unless you keep excellent track of your cycles, you likely don’t remember when your last period started. You can further guesstimate when you think it might have been. Or you can contact a trusted clinic like Women’s Clinic of Atlanta for a more thorough and accurate ultrasound exam.
“Ok, Now What?” Time for a Pregnancy Screening.
If you have approximated how many weeks pregnant you might be, it’s important to learn exactly how far along you are by undergoing a pregnancy screening with a team you can trust.
Pregnancy screenings allow teams like ours to help you know things like:
- If the pregnancy is viable (growing inside the uterus) or nonviable (implanted outside of the uterus or implanted in the uterus but not alive)
- How many weeks along you are
- If the fetus has developed a heartbeat or not*
Based on the results, you’ll have a better understanding of your pregnancy, the health of your pregnancy, and your options moving forward.
*You Have to Know the Heartbeat Status in Order to Seek an Abortion in Georgia
Knowing whether a heartbeat has developed is crucial for the woman interested in pursuing an abortion in Georgia. In order to receive an abortion in our state, Georgia law requires the fetus to have not yet developed a heartbeat, which typically occurs around week 6 of pregnancy. The only way to determine if there is a heartbeat yet or not is through an ultrasound screening.
Are You Pregnant and Asking Yourself, How Many Weeks Pregnant Am I?” Schedule a Pregnancy Screening With Women’s Clinic of Atlanta.
Our compassionate team of professionals offers thorough, helpful, judgment-free care to women who are pregnant and wondering what their next steps should be. From providing pregnancy testing and abortion screenings to offering support services throughout a woman’s pregnancy, we are here for every woman every step of the way.
Schedule a pregnancy screening by texting “appointment” to 404-777-4771 today.
Women’s Clinic of Atlanta is HIPAA compliant and AAAHC accredited.
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