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Childbirth/Conception Date

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Expert: - 6/30/2010


Question
I am currently 21 weeks pregnant and I understand the two week difference from my LMP of 2/1/10.  I had an ultrasound that verified 6 weeks pregnant on 3/19/10, and another at 9 weeks on 4/8/10.  My question is, I am not sure when I ovulated and I had unprotected sex the weekend of 2/13-2/15 and then again 3/4/10 with two different people.  Based off the ultrasounds can I be certain that the pregnancy resulted from the 2/13 intercourse?  If I ovulated right before my missed period in March, could this have resulted in the pregnancy and my baby would actually be two weeks younger than we think? When I went for the first unltrasound, would they have said 6 weeks based off LMP, or measured and noticed the conception was only 2 weeks ago and not 4? If the baby was measuring off by 2 weeks, would they have changed my dates or stuck with the LMP?
Thank you so much

Answer
Based on the information you gave, you got pregnant the weekend of 2/13-2/15.

If you had gotten pregnant March 4, your ultrasounds would have picked that up and they would have changed your dates.  They are looking for certain things in the development of the baby, which happen at very specific times in the first trimester.   There is no way that they would have mistaken a 4 week pregnancy for a 6 week pregnancy.

I hope that helps!

Dorothy H, LCCE  

Childbirth

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Dorothy H, LCCE

Expertise

As a certified childbirth educator and birth doula, I can answer questions dealing with preparing for birth, childbirth classes, pregnancy, what happens during labor and birth, doulas, VBAC, natural childbirth, cesarean birth, interventions in labor, labor, birth, helping someone through labor, concerns or fears about labor and birth, doulas, breastfeeding, and other topics dealing with pregnancy, labor, and birth.

Experience

Since 2004, I have taught childbirth education classes focused on helping couples gain confidence, make decisions for their birth, and give them tools for helping them get the birth they want. Since 2004, I have also attended births in local hospitals as a birth doula (as of 8/10, I have attended 120 births) so I am able to see firsthand what is working in helping couples deal with labor. I am also a mom of five children, and have various birth experiences myself, including unmedicated birth and a cesarean.

Organizations
Lamaze International DONA International

Publications
International Doula Magazine

Education/Credentials
I am a Lamaze-certified childbirth educator. I am a DONA-certified birth doula.

Past/Present Clients
I work with approximately 4-6 couples a month with my childbirth classes. I attend 2 births a month with doula clients.

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