Pregnancy is the happiest time in the life of every woman. It’s 9 months of hopes, excited expectations, and new interests. Every woman thinks about being a mother at some point. Someone manages to get pregnant immediately and without any difficulties, someone (unfortunately) has to visit a doctor, and not just once. But during pregnancy, almost everyone is concerned about the same questions: “Am I really pregnant?”, “When did I get pregnant?”, “When did I conceive – how to know?”, “When will the baby be born?”, “Is it a boy or a girl?”
Am I Really Pregnant?
It’s quite simple to identify pregnancy. You can do it with the help of an express test at home. A couple of minutes in the bathroom – and here is the result.
However, some women sometimes want to find out if they are pregnant without a test (or even before it can provide a positive result). There are also times when a girl can’t buy a test for some reason or is too young and scared that someone from her family suspects something. In such cases here are some clues:
- A missed period;
- Breast soreness and sensitivity;
- Increased irritability, constant crying;
- Nausea, vomiting (if you are absolutely sure you can’t have food poisoning);
- Abundant clear vaginal excreta without any scent;
- Pain or tightness in your lower abdomen;
- Frequent urination.
Of course, a woman can experience such sensations even if she is not pregnant. For example, a lot of women have swollen breasts before their period comes, and nausea can be a consequence of simple overeating. But if you have a few signs at once, and one of them is a missed period, you should pay attention to the signals your body provides you with.
False Pregnancy
Sometimes there are cases when a woman wants to get pregnant and give birth so much she manages to convince herself and everyone around her that she is, in fact, pregnant. The self-deception is so great that her body reacts as though she has conceived. There is a missed period and other usual signs and symptoms, even the belly is growing.
That’s why before thinking about the terms or beginning to buy all the necessary things for a baby you’d better visit a professional gynecologist and receive a confirmation of your new status.
Is The Conception Date Important?
During your first visit, a doctor will specify the so-called gestation term in your chart. It’s calculated from the first day of your last period. The very conception has happened later. According to this fact, your actual term is less than the one calculated by a doctor. However, the doctors don’t need the exact date of conception for your pregnancy management.
Then why does the way to find out the most accurate date “when did I get pregnant?” bother so many expectant mothers? There are a few reasons for calculation of the exact conception date:
- It will help to predict due date with maximal accuracy;
- A lot of medical tests and procedures are scheduled according to this term;
- A number of beliefs help to find out the baby’s gender by this date (it may be of use if the ultrasound couldn’t find it out for some reason);
- Sometimes conception date calculator helps to find out who is the baby’s dad.
When Did I Get Pregnant? Let’s Calculate The Conception Date!
Only a future mother herself can remember the exact date of conception. You can use an online conception calculator which finds out when your ovulation happened. When did I get pregnant – how do I know? This is a frequently asked question, so such services are placed on lots of different resources for expectant mothers.
However, even online services may provide you with only an approximate conception date. It happens because the conception calculator counts the first day of ovulation for a regular menstrual cycle when it usually happens after 2 weeks from the first day of a period. Not every woman has a regular cycle. There are long and short menstrual cycles and spontaneous ovulation. And more to say, you may have conceived on any of the five days after sexual intercourse. That much time spermatozoa can require for reaching an egg cell and fertilizing it.
The Conception Date Matches The Date Of Your Period?
Some future mothers can be surprised: “I have conceived on a period!” Theoretically, it can’t happen. But happy babies born after such intercourses prove the opposite.
How can you get pregnant on a period? If you have an ideal 28-day-long menstrual cycle you can completely eliminate such a possibility. In this case, the ovulation happens on the 14th day, exactly in the middle of your cycle, and there is no bleeding during this time. It’s also unlikely for you to get pregnant on other days.
However, if your menstrual cycle is short and consists of less than 25 days, and the menstruation is 7 days long (or even more) this is the case when a woman is able to get pregnant on a period. If it’s your case the ovulation happens during the last days when there is some minor bleeding.
Besides, there have been some incidents when the ovulation happened a few times during one menstrual cycle, including days of a period. That’s why you can hear and read online a lot of stories about “getting pregnant on a period, both times!”
Born in Belarus, 1985, a pedagogue and family psychologist, mother. Taking part in procedures of social adaptation of the foster children in new families. Since 2015 is a chief editor of the motherhow.com project, selecting the best and up-to-date material for those, who are planning, expecting, and already having babies.