#04-BITESIZE-PREGNANCY SERIES-How are due dates calculated and what if you go past them?

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Divya  0:01  
Here's a question for you. When did you conceive? Yes. When did you conceive? Hey, hi, welcome to mommy drag daddy whispers podcast bite sized pregnancy series. The aim of it is to provide you a lot of information so that you are able to make informed decisions throughout pregnancy and childbirth. My name is Divya and today we are going to discuss how our due dates calculated. What is the significance and what happens when you go past your due date? I've been server Luca Java I've been in Korea, or some alligator abdomen a petting zoo? To answer this, we have to ask a few more questions. What really is a conception? That is how you can see what is the gestational age of the baby? So we'll figure the answer out for these questions to know better how our due dates calculated. And what is the significance conception? conception really is the fertilisation of egg with a sperm. That is the marriage of a bride with a potential super exciting groom. You'd say but any word. Of course you do. And if you've been trying to conceive, you may not actually be able to time when exactly did you conceive? Right? You might say okay, then, okay, maybe that day, or the other day? or the day before? Maybe? Right? So it's tough. It's tough to pinpoint when exactly did you can see if you were trying for it. The thing to note here is there are a number of combinations that can happen here. One, what if you ovulated after you had an intercourse, so the sperm from your vagina will enter your uterus and reside in the fallopian tube? What is the fallopian tube? A fallopian tube is a tube that connects your uterus to your ovaries, right? So it can eagerly wait for up to three days. And woohoo when the egg arrives, it finds the one and fertilisation happens and you can see the second combination can be what if you ovulated before you had an intercourse. So the egg remains in the fallopian tube and waits for that one fine groom to come. It can be in your fallopian tube for up to 24 hours waiting for that one find sperm. And we will when it finds that one the fertilisation happens and you can see. So it really is difficult to know exactly when did you conceive. And you never know if you mind sneaks into your conversations and dels the egg stay a little longer, the sperm is on its way down to the sperm stay a little longer, the egg is on its way abitato I get key conversations may have come mind sneaker I it may, it may want to support the pregnancy and you live and it may want that to happen, it may prolong that period. So all of this is an approximation. So you would never know when you can see body and its mysterious ways. So science is based on approximation. And that is why we need due dates because we do not know when that we can see. Now due dates are an approximation on that very question. When did you conceive. So the doctors use a formula, they ask you the first date of your last periods. And remember, they don't ask the last date of your last menstrual period, they're going to ask the first date of your last menstrual period, they'll add nine months to it and then additionally add seven more days. So that becomes your the age of your pregnancy. Now they have an approximate date by when you will be held the labour but remember, it's important to know that this is also an approximation. So you could have conceived on any of these days. And you do a number of combinations which we discussed earlier. So what does it mean for you? Why do we calculate due dates? Let's let's talk about gestational age a bit and come to that. You must have heard about gestational age. It tells you how far along in your pregnancy you are. That is what is the age of the baby in laymen terms, what is the age of your pregnancy.

Divya  4:58  
Now this is calculated based on The baby's health and a number of parameters and ultrasound is done to figure out the baby's measurements. And based on that gestational age just calculated. The idea here is to assess when you can seat and know when the pregnancy will be full term. Your doctor may correct your due date based on the gestational age, or may give gestational age throughout in consideration if the doctor does not change your due date. Again, gestational age is also an approximation. Nobody can tell when you conceived, it's all a guess. Overall the due date is an area of your filter, it is an approximation. And hence you may go into labour before or even after your due date. And it is normal. By calculate the due date that it is important, it is very very significant. To know that your pregnancy is healthy throughout post dirait, your doctor would be extra cautious to catch problems in time and help you deliver a healthy baby. So, doctors need to know when the alarms should be raised right, I would say it is a kind of threshold for you. So what happens when you go past the two rate, doctors would generally increase your examination they would assess your time and again, they may wait for at least up to 42 weeks for you to go into labour naturally. And based on their practice, they may wait more, they may examine you regularly. And if you and your child are responding well they may you know let you wait a little longer. They may give you a list of emergency situations to note and notify them whenever if in case you undergo any of them just to be cautious. As long as you and your baby are doing fine, doctors may wait and avoid inducing you. However, if they sense the risks, if they sense that the risks are high now, they may not wait and they may tell you that this is the time that we should induce you. Now, there are a number of methods that can be tried to induce you and these methods can be discussed with your doctor. By methods I mean methods other than medication to induce labour. A number of methods can be used to put you into labour and this is another part of informed decision making asking the right questions. So you should definitely ask your care provider. Can you yourself trigger labour? Can you do something when you are posted a due date to trigger labour? Can they help you start labour by other means without the medicine status? Know your options, ask your options and choose what you can opt for. Now, why some women go into labour post term right now Well, nobody knows why some women go into labour post date. One of the major thing that we can pinpoint throughout our conversations all that we understood through this conversation is that the due date is actually an approximation so your baby is developing. Your baby made me want to develop a little more, you may not be ready for being a mother yet. So your brain is a big part of everything that is happening to you in pregnancy. So nobody knows right? We talk about what triggers labour in the next episode based on the evidences that we have so far, but nobody knows what triggers labour on an accurate level on a precise level what triggers labour nobody knows that. So there are a number of factors that trigger labour and a lot of them are on the evidences, nobody actually knows what triggers labour. So we will discuss what triggers labour based on the evidence is in the next episode, wrapping up. So this was all about how do rates are calculated? What are their significance? What can happen? What questions should you ask when you go for state

Divya 9:27  
and again, knowing relaxing, being calm that there is nothing to worry about if your boss date who should know your options, you need to relax and be calm. Probably your baby is not ready You never know when you can see it. So your post date may mean the due date is actually an approximation. So you should relax and let the body do its work. So in the last episode, we talked about some common pregnancy symptoms and the reasons behind it. If you've not heard it yet, please do in the next episode. We shall touch upon what triggers labour. What is the role of fathers in pregnancy? Leaving with this info and not? Do not worry about your due date. Like I said, your mind is a powerful thing. You never know you're going to labour when you feel it is time, right? If you feel it's time you never know something gets triggered and get into labour. So hang on to your intuitions. Trust your intuitions all you lovely mamas out there. If you like listening to us, please follow and leave a review if you have an option on your podcasting app. Let a friend know who may benefit out of this episode and this entire series. Let us know if you wish we come up with a specific topic you want to know right now in your pregnancy journey. Write to us how you feel about this series how you feel about this podcast. You can write to me at the moment like daddy whispers at the rate gmail.com We shall await your responses till then keep listening. And remember, you got the power stating keep listening