Knowing your estimated due date - EDD

One of the most important milestones in a womans life is pregnancy. Ever since she knows shes carrying, the countdown begins. The very first doctors visit confirms the due date, though its approximate. The first trimester of pregnancy is supposed to be the most delicate phase as it takes times for the uterine wall to harden over the weeks. The second trimester

The estimated due date (EDD) however, is often confirmed or adjusted at the ‘dating scan’ when the foetus is measured via an ultrasound scan. This makes it much easier to set a due date after getting a fair idea of how far the babys physical development has come up to. While the due date can also be adjusted accordingly, it is not a certificate which tells the precise day your baby will be born. It is just a point if time which gives the mom-to-be an approximate idea of when the baby might arrive. Apart from 5% of babies being born on the EDD, around 80% of them are born within two weeks before or after the due date.

As pregnancy progresses, the doctor or the midwife uses the due date to time the pregnancy scans, blood tests and other medical checks, besides also checking whether the baby is growing within the normal range. For instance, the dates indicate a whether the foetus is a big baby, a warning sign for any kind of maternal health problem like gestational diabetes, or a small baby which indicates an intrauterine growth restriction. It is therefore a good idea to know your due date much in advance so that you prepare yourself for the new phase.