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Calculating How Much Time
You Have To Decide
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Knowing how much time you have to make your decision can help alleviate some of the pressure you might be feeling, by giving you a time-frame within which you can organize your approach to the situation.
How far along are you?
To calculate how much time you have to make a decision about your pregnancy, you need to find out how far along you are. You might be lucky enough to know the exact date of conception. (Maybe it's the only time you've had sex this year!) For most women, however, precise dates for ovulation and conception are hard to calculate, which is why clinics and hospitals calculate the length of your pregnancy based on the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). The first day of your LMP is considered the start of your pregnancy, even though conception probably did not occur until some time later.
For example, let's say that you realize you're pregnant in mid-December. If the first day of your LMP was November 1st, and it's now December 15th, then you are said to be six weeks pregnant - even though conception probably took place in mid-November (most women ovulate about two weeks after the first day of their LMP).
If you:
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don't know your LMP |
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had a weak or unusual period last month (it is possible to have bleeding that can resemble a period during a pregnancy) |
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are 30 lbs or more overweight |
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have been taking oral contraceptive pills |
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an ultrasound may be required. |
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Is abortion still an option?
Knowing your LMP can help define your options. For example, abortion is not an option after 20 weeks (24 weeks in the U.S.), and in Canada, it can be difficult to obtain an abortion past 14/16 weeks (depending on your location). Abortions after 16 weeks are rare, and are typically performed for reasons of foetal abnormality, or because the mother's health is endangered by the pregnancy. It can be difficult to find doctors who perform late-term abortions. It should also be noted that second trimester abortions carry slightly greater risks and complications.
What is the due date?
Another important date to consider during the decision-making process, is the estimated date of delivery (EDD). The average length of pregnancy is 266 days from the date of conception, but many women don't know exactly when they conceived. To calculate your EDD, count 280 days (40 weeks) from your LMP.
Planning around the due date
Knowing the due date may help you evaluate your available options. For example, if it is important to you to finish school in June, and you calculate that you are expected to deliver the baby in August, then you know that the baby is not necessarily an obstacle to finishing your education. However, if the baby is due in March, the importance of graduation might outweigh starting (or adding to) your family at this time.
Another example: if you're getting married in February, and your due date is in April, you can reschedule the wedding for an earlier date, postpone until after the delivery, or simply decide to let out your wedding dress. Knowing the EDD can help you look a few months beyond your current situation.
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