How to Estimate the Date of Conception

Many couples want to know exactly when they conceived their baby. There is a simple way to do this if the woman keeps track of her monthly cycles. Doctors have been asking simple questions of their patients forever, and from that they can predict when the baby is born. Nondoctors can do the same thing.

Instructions

1. Becoming pregnant happens about midway through a woman's cycle. A cycle is typically 28 days but can vary. Part of the key to knowing when you can best conceive is knowing your cycle.

2. Keep track of your monthly periods. Get a calendar and circle the start and end dates. After a couple of months count how many days from the first day the period starts to the first day of when the next period starts. This is how many days your monthly cycle will be.

3. Estimated dates of conception are based at first on the first day of the last period the woman has. Sometimes a couple will be thrown off because a woman will have a short period even after she gets pregnant.

4. Make an appointment to go to the doctor when you think you are pregnant. Take with you the date of your last period and any side effects you are having. These will help your doctor determine if you are pregnant and an estimated date of conception.

5. Have a sonogram done early in the pregnancy. The sonogram will help to confirm your date of conception with a few days before or after.