The most common question during pregnancy or around the end of pregnancy is when will I have my baby.

Please note that pregnancies can last anywhere between 38 and 42 weeks from the date of conception. This is why doctors give you an estimated due date or EDD. No one can say with 100% accuracy when you will have your baby. However, there are signs that may indicate pending labor or the onset of labor.

To calculate your due date, begin with your last monthly period (LMP). You will add 7 days to first day of your last normal period. Then add 9 months and this is your estimated due date.

For example, let's say the first day of your last monthly period was January 1, 1999. You would add 7 days which would be January 8^th and then add nine months. Your estimated due date would be October 8^th in this example.

You can also count back 3 months rather than counting forward nine months. This gives you the same estimated due date as counting forward nine months. Remember you must add the seven days before either counting forward nine months or counting back three months.

Only 4 in 100 women will deliver on the due date provided by the doctor (EDD--estimated due date). The calculations of the doctor (or the from LMP) adds an additional 2 weeks to your pregnancy. This is due to calculating from the last monthly period. Actually, you conceived approximately 2 weeks after your period (ovulation time) and this is the reason many women do go over 40 weeks.

One way you can tell if you are going to go over 40 weeks is to look at your past menstrual cycles before pregnancy. If you had cycles longer than 28 days, you are more likely to deliver after the 40^th week. If you had cycles 28 days or shorter, you are more likely to deliver between the 38th and 40th week of
pregnancy. This is because the ovulation time may have occurred earlier or later than 14 days after the first day of your last monthly period.