When was my last period
Calculate your due date: How to find your baby's due date
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First day of my last period
BabyCenter's Due Date Calculator
Use our pregnancy due date calculator by plugging in either the date of your last menstrual cycle or the date you know you conceived. The calculator will do the rest.
How is my due date calculated?
There are several ways your due date is determined. If you happen to know the day you conceived, you can count 38 weeks from that day to find your due date. (Human gestation takes about 38 weeks.)
But very few expectant moms know exactly when they conceived. Even if you only had sex once during your fertile period, you wouldn't conceive on that day unless you happen to be ovulating. Sperm can live for up to five days inside your fallopian tubes. So, it could be up to five days after you have sex that you release an egg (ovulate) and it gets fertilized by a waiting sperm. That's the day you conceive.
So, without knowing the day of conception, how does anyone determine a due date?
First day of your last period
The most common way to calculate your pregnancy due date is by counting 40 weeks from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). And that's how most healthcare providers do it.
If your menstrual cycle length is the average length (28-day cycle), your menstrual cycle probably started about two weeks before you conceived. This explains why pregnancies are said to last 40 weeks instead of 38 weeks.
This method doesn't take into account how long your menstrual cycle actually is or when you think you might have conceived. But generally speaking, women typically ovulate about two weeks after their menstrual cycle starts. And women are more likely to know when their last period started than the day they ovulated.
Conception date
If you do happen to know precisely when you conceived – say, if you were using an ovulation predictor kit or tracking your ovulation symptoms – you can calculate your pregnancy due date based on your conception date.
Just choose that calculation method from the pulldown above and put in your date.
Note: Again, you don't necessarily conceive on the day you have sex.
IVF transfer date
If you conceived through IVF, you can calculate your due date using your IVF transfer date. If you had a Day 5 embryo transfer, count 261 days from your transfer date. If you had a Day 3 embryo transfer, count 263 days.
Can my due date change?
Your healthcare provider might revise your due date if your baby is measured during a first trimester ultrasound scan and found to be much bigger or smaller than expected for gestational age. This is more likely to happen if you have an irregular menstrual cycle length that makes it hard to pinpoint the date of conception.
Your healthcare provider will measure your baby during that ultrasound exam to figure out how far along your baby is and then provide you with a new due date.
What if I already know my due date?
If you already know your due date, you can use this calculator to see your pregnancy timeline.
It will tell you when you'll hit various milestones, and when you may be due for prenatal tests and prenatal visits. You'll also find what your baby's sign and birthstone will probably be and which famous people were born on your due date.
How likely am I to give birth on my due date?
Of course, a due date calculation is always approximate, whether it's from our tool or from your doctor or midwife. Only 1 in 20 women delivers on their due date. You're just as likely to go into labor any day during the two weeks before or after.
Want more information about how the weeks, months, and trimesters of pregnancy are counted? See our pregnancy timing chart.
How soon can I take a pregnancy test?
With all this talk about pregnancy due dates, you may be wondering when you can take a pregnancy test. To ensure you get the most accurate reading, it's best to wait a few days after your missed period to take a pregnancy test.
At-home urine tests measure the amount of hCG (human Chorionic Gonadotropin) present in your body.
If you take a pregnancy test before you miss your period, you may not get an accurate result, despite what some tests advertise.
If you're getting a blood test in your provider's office, you may get results sooner. These tests also measure the amount of hCG in your bloodstream, but they're more sensitive than at-home urine tests. Blood tests may be able to detect pregnancy six to eight days after ovulation.
Read more
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- Your first trimester pregnancy checklist
- Pregnancy Weight Gain Calculator
- Ovulation Calculator
- See all tools
Chinese gender predictor chart and calendar tool
Wondering whether you're having a boy or girl? Our Chinese Gender Predictor calculator forecasts your baby's sex based on an ancient Chinese gender chart and the Chinese lunar calendar.
There's no scientific evidence that the Chinese Gender Predictor works. But since there are only two choices – boy or girl – it has at least a 50-50 chance of making an accurate prediction!
What is the Chinese gender predictor chart?
Legend has it the chart is more than 700 years old and was discovered in a royal tomb near Beijing.
The technique involves converting the mother's age and the month of conception to dates on the Chinese lunar calendar, then cross-checking that data on a chart that predicts the baby's sex.
How accurate is the Chinese gender predictor chart?
Researchers at the University of Michigan School of Public Health did a study to test the Chinese lunar calendar method of predicting a baby's sex. They reviewed the records of 2.8 million Swedish births. Then they used a website-customized algorithm to estimate each mother's lunar age and month of conception. When they checked the predictions of the Chinese baby calendar method against the sex of the children who were born, they concluded that the Chinese birth chart was correct about 50 percent of the time -- no more accurate than flipping a coin.
How can I really tell what my baby’s sex will be?
There are several ways.
You can find out your baby's sex starting at 10 weeks of pregnancy if you have noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), a blood test that can detect Down syndrome and a few other chromosomal conditions.
(It takes a week or two to get the results.)
Many pregnant women find out their baby's sex (if they choose to know) during their midpregnancy ultrasound, which is usually done between 18 and 22 weeks. However, if the technician can't get a clear view of the baby's genitals, it may not be possible to tell for sure.
Other women find out their baby's sex from a genetic test like chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis. These tests are usually done to determine whether a baby has a genetic disorder or a chromosomal abnormality, like Down syndrome. CVS is usually done between 10 and 13 weeks, and amniocentesis between 16 and 20 weeks. You have to wait for 2 weeks for the results from both tests.
If you have IVF, you can find out the sex before you even transfer the embryos. But if you have embryos of both sexes placed in your uterus, you won't know which one(s) implant.
At-home gender kits (available mostly online) test blood or urine to predict your baby's sex, but there's no scientific evidence that these tests really work.
What's the difference between gender and sex?
We're using the word gender here because people often use this word when talking about their child's sex. However, the two are not the same. A child is generally assigned a sex at birth based on biological characteristics, such as their genitals. But their sex designation may not match the gender identity (based on feelings and behaviors) that they assume later.
Learn more:
Gender prediction: Am I having a girl or a boy?
When and how can I find out my baby's sex?
15 fun baby gender predictor tests to try
Video: Should we find out our baby's sex?
All tools
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Delayed periods: when and why to worry
February 13, 2021 Likbez Health
You may be taking a pregnancy test too soon.
What is missed period
Delayed period is when menstruation does not start at the expected time.
Every woman has her own. To determine it, that is, to understand whether there is a delay, two parameters are taken into account.
- Individual cycle time. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a typical menstrual cycle (the so-called interval between the first day of this and the previous or subsequent periods) lasts 28 days. However, cycles lasting 21–40 days are also variants of the norm.
- Cycle regularity. In adult healthy women, menstruation, as a rule, occurs after a strictly defined number of days. For example, every 28 or every 35. In young girls who have menstruated no more than 6 years ago, the cycle may be irregular. In one month, the blood on the pad will be, let's say, 25 days after the previous time, and in another - after 29. Such fluctuations are normal.
Now for a simple example. Your last period started on March 3rd. Today is April 4th. Is there a delay? There may be several answers.
If your cycle is, say, 28 days, your period is 4 days late. But if 35, there is no delay yet: according to your individual schedule, menstruation is expected only on April 7th. And in the event that you are a young girl with an unsteady, floating cycle, the delay is in question.
If there is no menstruation for a long time, more than three months, doctors speak of amenorrhea. This condition is normal for pregnant, lactating and menopausal women. Everyone else needs to be examined to find out for what reasons menstruation does not start.
But let's suppose that the idea of amenorrhea has not yet come to the fore. And you, finding a delay of several days, just want to find out what it means. Lifehacker has collected several options.
Why there is a delay in menstruation and what to do about it
Here are some of the most common reasons.
1. You are pregnant
This is perhaps the most popular reason for delay in healthy women who are sexually active.
If you do not have sex, pregnancy can be ruled out. Otherwise, wait another couple of days (and preferably 5-7, if you have enough patience) and take a pregnancy test. In order not to wait, you can go to the laboratory and donate blood for hCG - human chorionic gonadotropin. Such an analysis is able to fix pregnancy already 11 days after conception.
What to do
If the result is positive, see a gynecologist as soon as possible. Pregnancy can also be ectopic, and this is a serious threat to your health and even life.
2. You are stressed
Acute or chronic stress significantly affects the hormonal balance, so the monthly cycle can become longer or shorter. And in some cases, menstruation stops altogether.
What to do
The most obvious and simple advice is to try to calm down. Learn to breathe deeply, abstract, rest more, think about the good - there are many relaxation techniques. If you understand that you can’t pull yourself together on your own, contact a psychologist or psychotherapist.
But it's important to remember this. It is not at all a fact that the delay in menstruation is associated with stress. It is impossible to exclude other reasons (the same pregnancy). Therefore, if menstruation does not return for several weeks, still consult a gynecologist.
3. You have lost too much weight
If there are not enough calories, the production of hormones that are responsible for ovulation and start menstruation stops.
What to do
Delayed menstruation due to insufficient weight (this can be determined by calculating the body mass index) is a serious reason to contact a therapist as soon as possible. After the examination, the doctor may refer you to a nutritionist who will help you normalize your weight. Or see a therapist if you have an eating disorder.
4. You have gained too much weight
Accumulated adipose tissue in the body increases the production of estrogen, a hormone that also regulates the monthly cycle.
Excess estrogen can make periods less frequent or stop them altogether.
What to do
Go to a therapist. Your doctor will advise you on how to lose weight faster and safer. You may be referred to a more specialized dietitian.
5. You overtrained
Excessive exercise also causes stress. And stress, in turn, affects the hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle.
What to do
If you suspect that the delay may be due to intense training, reduce your activity. Professional athletes should consult a doctor who specializes in sports medicine. An expert will advise you on how to keep fit without disturbing your menstrual cycle.
6. You are taking contraceptives
Some oral contraceptives, birth control injections, and even insertion of an intrauterine device can cause your period to stop completely.
In addition, menstruation is sometimes delayed even while taking conventional hormonal contraceptives. And after the abolition of such pills, it will take time for the cycle to stabilize.
What to do
If you are on birth control pills or have recently had an IUD, talk to your gynecologist about the delay. Follow his advice.
7. Menopause is approaching
Menopause is a natural part of aging in women. These are hormonal changes in which the ovaries stop producing eggs, and periods are delayed, become irregular, and then stop altogether.
Menopause usually occurs between the ages of 45 and 55. However, it occurs in about 1 in 100 women before the age of 40.
What to do
Consult your gynecologist. In menopause, in addition to the cessation of menstruation, there may be other unpleasant signs: vaginal dryness, sweating, problems with sleep and libido, regular sensations, as if throwing a fever. Your doctor can help make your symptoms less severe.
8. You have polycystic ovary syndrome
This is a condition in which cysts form on the ovaries (cavities with unreleased eggs) and the level of androgen hormone increases in the body.
As a result, polycystic ovary syndrome can cause menstrual irregularities. Including missed periods.
What to do
Only a gynecologist can deal with polycystic disease. The doctor will listen to your complaints, conduct an examination and offer to do an ultrasound and take a blood test. All this is necessary to establish an accurate diagnosis.
If the syndrome is confirmed, you will be prescribed medication. Sometimes, surgery is needed to restore ovulation and the disturbed monthly cycle.
9. You have another disease
Menstruation can be delayed by:
- Inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs. Inflammation can appear both due to sexually transmitted infections, and due to those that are not related to sexually transmitted diseases.
- Uterine fibroids and other neoplasms. Various tumors sometimes lead to cycle disorders. These may be benign processes, but you still need to check.
- Premature ovarian failure. This is a disease in which menopause, in theory, is still far away, but the ovaries have already ceased to produce eggs normally.
- Diseases of the endocrine system. For example, diabetes or thyroid disorders.
- Celiac disease. This is an autoimmune disease in which the intestines do not respond adequately to gluten (gluten) - proteins found in the seeds of cereal plants. Celiac disease causes the intestinal walls to become inflamed, preventing the body from absorbing essential nutrients. Deficiency of vitamins and minerals can also lead to disruption of the monthly cycle.
What to do
If it seems to you that you have ruled out almost all the reasons for a possible delay, but there are still no periods, go to the gynecologist. The doctor will conduct an examination and examination to exclude possible diseases. If necessary, he will refer you to another specialist, such as an endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, or oncologist.
10. You are taking certain medications
Any hormonal medication can affect your menstrual cycle.
What to do
If you have been prescribed these medications and your period is delayed, talk to your doctor about it.
Perhaps he will offer you an alternative - a drug that will not disrupt the menstrual cycle.
This article was first published in March 2018. In February 2021, we updated the text.
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Menstruation disappeared: reasons, what to do
Lost your period? Not sure what the reason is and should you be concerned? About why menstruation can disappear, what to do about it, the employees of the Expert Clinic Perm tell: obstetrician-gynecologist Olga Valerievna Cherepanova and ultrasound diagnostics doctor Lyudmila Viktorovna Belkina.
- Olga Valerievna, Lyudmila Viktorovna, please tell me which menstrual cycle is considered normal, and when should we say that menstruation has disappeared? How long should the delay last for a woman to understand: it's time to go to the gynecologist?
— Olga Cherepanova: Normally, a woman should have a cycle of 24 to 38 days.
If the menstrual cycle is consistent with this period, then it is considered regular. A delay in menstruation for more than 38 days is already a bell to come to the gynecologist.
In medical circles, there is such a thing as amenorrhea. You can talk about it when women who have had a normal menstrual cycle up to this point have no discharge for more than 3 months. If a woman has irregular periods (with a difference between them of more than two months), amenorrhea is considered their absence for more than six months.
In any case, it is important to remember that the irregularity of the cycle is already a reason to visit a gynecologist, without bringing yourself to the state when there will be no menstruation at all.
- Lyudmila Belkina: Separately, it is worth mentioning the girls who are entering the reproductive age. They have primary amenorrhea, when it seems that the time for the onset of menstruation has already come up, but it has not yet.
This is not considered a loss of menstruation, but it is worth consulting a gynecologist about the reasons.
— When menstruation stops, is there no bleeding at all, or is it present, but may be scanty?
- Lyudmila Belkina: One can speak about the loss of menstruation (now we mean only those cases that are not the norm) only if they are completely absent. Scanty discharge is another pathology.
— So, if a woman has lost her period, what could be the reason? Surely this happens not only with diseases. For example, the first thing that comes to mind is pregnancy. Let's first talk about cases where a woman does not need to worry that her period did not start on time. Tell about the physiological reasons
— Olga Cherepanova: Among the physiological reasons, three states of a woman can be named:
- Pregnancy, as it was said. If a woman is pregnant, one of the first changes she will see is a missed period.
They will be absent throughout the pregnancy. The woman takes a test and finds out that it is positive. In this case, you need to make an appointment with a gynecologist to monitor changes in the body and the development of the unborn baby. - Lactation. During this period, milk is produced in the mammary glands.
- Menopause. If a woman is over 50 years old, age-related changes usually begin to occur in her body, leading to the absence of menstruation. In the case when the woman's health does not bother, but the menstrual flow is gone, you can not go to the gynecologist: this is a normal process. However, at the age of 50, pregnancy can also occur, and then the cessation of menstruation indicates the corresponding processes in the body.
Separately, I would like to say about contraception. Menstruation may temporarily disappear when taking certain contraceptives. With their help, you can, in particular, regulate the appearance of menstruation. If a woman, for example, goes on vacation and does not want to menstruate for a month, then after consulting a gynecologist, she can take a contraceptive drug that allows you to delay the onset of menstruation.
However, it must be remembered that not all oral contraceptives have such an effect on the body.
— And what are the reasons for the cessation of menstruation, if we are talking about pathology? What diseases does this occur in?
— Olga Cherepanova: Menstruation may disappear with:
- some diseases of the endocrine system;
- taking any toxic drugs or exposing the patient's body to a number of chemicals;
- weight changes, in particular obesity or sudden weight loss. Some patients ask us if periods can disappear due to diet. There is such a risk: a sharp decrease in body weight negatively affects the hormonal background of a woman. For young girls, this is especially true, since even a slight weight loss in them can cause the disappearance of menstruation.
- Lyudmila Belkina: We are also often asked if periods can disappear due to stress. Yes they can.
— Does the cessation of menstruation occur at the initial stages of the pathology and is it its first symptom? Or does menstruation disappear when the disease is already clearly expressed?
- Lyudmila Belkina: Since the absence of menstruation can be the result of many diseases, it is impossible to say for sure.
A girl may have menstrual irregularities for a long time, which will eventually lead to the loss of her periods if she is not examined and treated.
Absence of menstrual flow often becomes one of a whole complex of manifestations.
This symptom may be the first sign of the disease.
— Tell me, please, what should a woman do if her period has disappeared for one reason or another? What are the principles of treatment for the cessation of menstruation?
— Olga Cherepanova: The most important thing is to visit a gynecologist. Sometimes they ask how to return menstruation with folk remedies if they are gone. I will say right away that self-medication (including with the help of traditional medicine) is not worth it: the pathology is most often complex, and it is extremely difficult to choose a treatment without a doctor and the necessary examinations.
As soon as the body has signaled a violation of the cycle, and even more so the absence of menstruation, you need to visit a doctor.
- Lyudmila Belkina: We identify the level at which there is a violation. It depends on the method of treatment and the prescribed drugs. It is necessary to understand how a woman regulates the menstrual cycle. A series of biochemical processes take place, which begins in the brain and ends when it reaches the reproductive organs. Any step may fail. It is important for the doctor to find out exactly where the problem is, for which certain tests, procedures, and examinations are carried out.
Pathology can be treated as follows:
- a set of measures to correct hormonal levels;
- vitamin therapy;
- for stress - sedatives, antidepressants, nootropics.
But these are far from all methods of treatment.
— What awaits a woman at a gynecologist's appointment?
- Lyudmila Belkina: If there is no menstruation, at least two appointments will be required, as well as a mandatory ultrasound.
The first appointment is an introductory one, during which we collect an anamnesis, examine the reproductive organs and mammary glands. I note that 50% of a successful diagnosis is a correctly collected anamnesis.
— Can a woman not come to the clinic, but consult online, from home?
- Lyudmila Belkina: Most often this is not enough. The patient should come for a face-to-face consultation, because due to medical specifics, she will not be able to tell everything about herself. But during the examination, the doctor will ask questions, the need for which is not obvious during an online conversation. Next, he will prescribe an examination, including an ultrasound. Then, already with all the tests, the patient must come to the appointment again.
Based on the results, the doctor will be able to prescribe treatment. Repeated ultrasounds are also possible.
— Olga Cherepanova: In many cases, after we have decided on the treatment, the patient follows the recommendations of the gynecologist for 3-6 months, and then comes back to control the disease.
Perhaps at this reception it will be established that the woman has recovered. For example, during stress: the cause was found, complex treatment was carried out, the cycle was restored, everything was over. Then you can come for preventive examinations.
If there are still pathologies, we continue to treat.
- Let's say a girl notices the absence of menstruation, but does not go to the gynecologist. What might this mean for her?
- Olga Cherepanova: Let's start with the fact that she can miss the start of pregnancy if there were prerequisites for this.
As we said earlier, the absence of menstruation can also indicate problems in the reproductive system. There is a risk that a woman will form a cyst in the reproductive organs - so the woman can get on the operating table.
Impaired ovary syndrome may develop (menopause will come much earlier than expected).
One of the possible reasons for the cessation of menstruation is a decrease in the production of estrogens (female sex hormones).
With a decrease in the amount of these hormones, estrogen-dependent organs will suffer. It can be, for example, bones, skin, urinary system. The patient will feel increased fatigue. Possible aggravation of chronic stress, deterioration of the brain.
With delayed treatment, other problems arise, for example, those associated with the cardiovascular system.
— How to prevent the cessation of menstruation? Tell us about prevention
— Olga Cherepanova: You need to regularly visit a gynecologist once a year and undergo an ultrasound examination of the pelvis and mammary glands. You should also avoid stress, eat right and generally lead a healthy lifestyle.
Interviewed by Yulia Kovalenko
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