So, I'm 5 weeks, 2 days today if I count back to my LMP (which wasn't really there at that time but a manufactured date from my IVF retrieval). I think it was odd to say that I was 4 weeks (the day I found out last week), when the embryos had only been inside me (from my transfer) 10 days! But, I'm reading a journal that shows gestationally, I'm only 3 weeks. So, if you count from ovulation (for me, my retrieval), it's only 38 weeks to EDD, but if you count from the LMP, then it's 40. Right?!?
So, my question is, do most people here and everywhere else count the weeks from the LMP or from ovulation? And is that only to make it easier since most people don't know their exact day of ovulation? (I do know, so should I count differently?) I don't want to be ahead of myself, just wanting to follow the norm of the preggo world. I think it's so odd, that if it is from the LMP, technically we are pg 2 weeks before we are pg!!
Thanks for clearing this whole thing up!!
hi km - sorry I don't have much of an answer, but just wanted to let you know that I have been wondering the same thing. It would seem weird to me to say that I'm almost 7 weeks pg when, in fact, I know exactly when conception occurred (day of egg retrieval), which was 4 and a half weeks ago. I read online pretty much the same thing you read in your journal - that the reason for counting from LMP is that most women don't know exactly when they ovulated or conceived, which we know b/c we did IVF. Anyway, I have an u/s appt on Tuesday, so maybe I'll ask them to clarify.
exactly, they count it like you are pg. for 2 weeks before you actually are. don't ask me why, that's just how it is done. i have one of those pregnancy calculators like they have at the dr. office. for example if your last period was july 5th, then your probable day of conception was july 19 (which they are already counting 2 weeks) and on todays date, you would be 6 weeks 4 days. which it hasn't been 6 weeks since you ovulated, just since your last period. confusing i know, but most things to do with pregnancy are.
good luck, hope this helps and that i didn't confuse your more.
I got pregnant by IVF also and I was very confused when my RE made an appointment for a 7 week ultrasound when I was only 5 weeks. I couldn't figure out how they got the dates wrong when they knew the exact date of the transfer! Then my sister explained to me that they count the two weeks, between first day of period and ovulation, eventhough I wasn't pregnant. Still doesn't make much sense to me.... but I'm 16 weeks 1 day and I love that fact that I can say 16 instead of 14.
Also, months of pregnancy are 4 week months, like the stages of the moon last 4 weeks from new moon to new moon. It's not a calendar month at all where some months vary in duration. According to lunar months, a full term pregnancy is 40 weeks or 10 months.
I had this exact same question with my first pregnancy, and my friends kept asking me why I'm giving them two different numbers of weeks since LMP and when baby was conceived. I felt real dumb, but they said (and they're not professionals) the "pregancy world" goes by LMP b/c of the same reason- most people don't know when they've ovulated... I asked my OB later, and he said that he goes by my LMP and when you read in books or elsewhere of "16 weeks" it's 16 weeks since LMP. I was going to ask him why, b/c I really wanted to know. But, I figure I'd give the guy a rest and not bug him too much with so many questions.
So technically, when full term is 40weeks, the baby is actually only 38 weeks old. Maybe 40 is an easier number to remember so they added the 2 weeks before ovulation into the pregnancy time?
To the best of my knowledge, they start counting from your LMP not only because not everyone knows exactly when conception took place, but because your period is your body's way of preparing itself to support a possible pregnancy....your period is your body shedding the preparations from the month before, and while that's going on, you're creating new linings in preparation for a possible pregnancy during the current month. Hope that makes sense.
Stace (and some of the others) are correct... they start counting from your LMP because most people aren't completely anal like most of us here and don't chart their temps and cervical mucus while TTC. Most women don't have a clue as to when they ovulate either. I was on the pill for 16 years, so I didn't really know my "schedule"... when I went off of it I surprised to find that I had a 28 day cycle, but I O'd on day 17 or 18, not 14 (which is average).
So, I go by the date of my ovulation/conception (which was 3/10) which puts my EDD at 12/1. If I go strictly by those little "dial calendars" the OBs use, my EDD would be 11/28. But, after my first u/s at the 7 week appt. my OB told me my EDD would be 12/5. Pretty much anything +/- 4 days is considered acurate at that stage. So the doc uses 12/5 and I use 12/1. So, for me, I consider myself 25w3d today, while the doc considers me 24w6d. not a big deal. It gets less accurate as you go along since babies grow differently anyway.
I have some websites that send me newsletters every week and they use the LMP-based date. I have a journal-type book where you write in your conception date on the first day and then progress until you get to your due date (with info listed for each day of pregnancy) that uses the gestational age instead.
It's just easier to keep in the same realm as my doctor and as most other preggo women I know (or women who've had kids recently) and use the LMP dating.
In the end, it really doesn't matter since the kid's gonna come when the kid decides to come!
Hi KM! Nice to see you here! Remember me? I think that IVFers (like you and me) are more knowledgeable about dates than the average person...and it kind of mixes us up! Other people don't know the date and hour their eggs fertilized. Just go by your LMP (which in our case is actually just 14 days before retreival, right) and be glad that you're further ahead than you feel. You'll be having your 7-week ultra sound before you know it and you'll be so happy to see that cute little beating heart (or in my case, two of them)!
I'm so glad that you're here. Are you taking progesterone? I just finished mine (i'm at 10 weeks now).
C.
Of course I remember you!! It's so exciting to be here with you!! 10 weeks already! That's incredible! How exciting, especially since you're having two!!
Yes, I'm still on progesterone. Not too fond of it, hopefully, not too much longer, but my RE says at least 3 more weeks, then maybe suppositories.
Good luck to you! I'm sure we'll keep each other posted!
I just finished my progesterone Sunday. yipppeee!!!! I'm 13 wks now (counting 2 wks back from ovulation/IUI!!!!!!). I think we'll have a few more from the IF board joining us soon.
Counting the weeks? 
But, I'm reading a journal that shows gestationally, I'm only 3 weeks. So, if you count from ovulation (for me, my retrieval), it's only 38 weeks to EDD, but if you count from the LMP, then it's 40. Right?!? 
Not too fond of it, hopefully, not too much longer, but my RE says at least 3 more weeks, then maybe suppositories.
