How to Calculate Conception on a Pregnancy Wheel
A pregnancy wheel is typically used in a doctor's office to help a soon-to-be mother calculate her due date. It can also be used to calculate the most fertile days of the month for a woman trying to become pregnant. This tool can help answer a lot of questions throughout the pregnancy. For instance, determining when certain tests should be done to check for Down Syndrome or other genetic malformations.
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Instructions
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Turn the wheel so that the large arrow points to the first day of your last period.
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Locate the text reading "ovulation" on the inside of the wheel. This will point to the dates that show the optimal time for ovulation (the days when you are most likely to get pregnant). The ovulation dates will show the dates that you likely conceived, and typically last 48 to 72 hours.
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Locate the text reading "implantation" on the inside of the wheel. This will point to the dates that show when a fertilized egg becomes implanted into the woman's uterus to start developing.
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Locate the text reading "Missed Period." This will show the dates that you would have a missed period and a positive pregnancy result will likely occur.
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Locate the text reading "Due Date." This will determine the due date for your baby based on a full-term 40-week pregnancy. Your pregnancy wheel might also indicate dates when you can safely deliver and a baby is considered "term"--which is typically 37 weeks.
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Tips & Warnings
In addition to the important dates that will be revealed on a pregnancy wheel, many newer wheels are also equipped with dates when important fetal tests should be completed to check for genetic problems.
Most pregnancy wheels are designed for a typical ovulation cycle of 28 days. An ovulation cycle is calculated from the first day of one period to the next. If you have a shorter or longer period, you will need to make adjustments. Basically, for the number of days that you are over or under the 28-day standard, divide it in half to determine the number of days you need to add or subtract to determine the conception date. If it is over 28, you add that number of days; if it is under 28, you subtract that number of days. For instance, if your cycle is 32 days (4 days longer), your conception date will be two days later than the date shown on the wheel. If your cycle is 22 days (6 days shorter), then your conception date will be three days sooner than the date shown on the wheel.
