Abdominal Examination:
The doctor will examine your abdomen at each of your regular monthly
visits. One of the things that the doctor will be checking for is the size and
growth of the baby. Although this method cannot pinpoint a specific date for
delivery, it can certainly tell the doctor if the due date estimated by either the LMP or
the date of conception is in the correct range or not. For instance, sometimes the
LMP may predict the due date as April 15th. But based on an abdominal examination
the doctor may feel that the baby is very big (growing too fast), he/she could revise the
due date and move it up by 5-10 days (or even more) to perhaps April 8th.
Ultrasound Scan:
One of the reasons that the doctor asks for frequent ultrasound scans, especially in the
last few months, is that they can determine the development of the baby and provide a more
accurate due date. This method is superior to other methods because the doctor is
able to examine and measure each of the baby’s organs on ultrasound screen.
These measurements can then help in determining the size of the baby, i.e. stage of fetal
development, and consequently the due date. It is possible that each of your
ultrasound scans gives a different due date. The date computed from your last
ultrasound scan is likely to be the most accurate. Again, remember that these dates
are simply estimates, and therefore are only indicative of the actual delivery date.
Can different methods give
different due dates
Yes. Each method will most probably
give a different due date, but most of the time, they will vary only by a couple of days.
However, if the woman has an irregular menstrual cycle, or her cycles are very long
or very short, then the LMP method will not be accurate. In this case, an ultrasound
scan will be most accurate.
Can I also plan to have my baby on a particular day
Yes, you can try to plan your baby for a
particular day. However, remember, your menstrual cycles and ovulation times would
have to cooperate! If you want to have your baby on a particular day, you can
subtract 38 weeks from the planned due date. If it is easier to work in months and
days, you should first add 7 days from your planned due date, and then subtract 9 months
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