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When is the OFFICIAL end of the first trimester???
Just a quick question...when does the first trimester actually end? Most serious sites or physicians offices say the first trimester is over at the end of 13 weeks but some books or web sites say end of 12 weeks. I guess it really doesn't matter too much but like on MH here, I am still showing 1st trimester at 13w 3d. I guess it will change to 2nd when I get to 14w. Just thought I'd ask...it's so confusing to get so many different answers depending on the site or book you look at.
Gah! That makes me 2 days short. Forget that, LOL. I'm totally 2nd trimester ...that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!!
Ok, I found a good site that explains why there is so much confusion. Here's what it said...
The three basic ways to calculate trimesters
There are basically three ways of dividing up a pregnancy into the three trimesters; they are by:
Development, Gestation, Conception. They give different dates for when the second trimester begins and for when the third trimester begins. Your health care provider might prefer to use the Development method, while another Midwife or Doctor may use the Gestation method.
I am sure they do that just to confuse pregnant women. Big Grin
Development:
This uses actual developmental stages to divide up a pregnancy. From LMP to 12 weeks the embryo develops all the major organs and becomes a fetus. From 12 weeks to 27 weeks the fetus continues developing and reaches viability. From 27 weeks on the fetus finishes development and prepares for delivery. Here the second trimester begins at 12w 0d and the third at 27w 0d.
Gestation:
With this method you take the 40 weeks of gestation and divide by three. Here the second trimester begins at 13w 3d and the third at 26w 6d.
Conception:
This method is where you take the 38 weeks of post conception development, divide by three, and add two weeks. Here the second trimester begins at 14w 5d and the third at 27w 3d.
No matter what method is used; a pregnancy has a beginning, middle and end. You can use the trimester dates from your Doctor, a book or a website, whichever you feel most comfortable with.
Hope this helps anyone wondering. So 14w5d is the latest method of calculating trimesters...well, I'm almost there :)
The three basic ways to calculate trimesters
There are basically three ways of dividing up a pregnancy into the three trimesters; they are by:
Development, Gestation, Conception. They give different dates for when the second trimester begins and for when the third trimester begins. Your health care provider might prefer to use the Development method, while another Midwife or Doctor may use the Gestation method.
I am sure they do that just to confuse pregnant women. Big Grin
Development:
This uses actual developmental stages to divide up a pregnancy. From LMP to 12 weeks the embryo develops all the major organs and becomes a fetus. From 12 weeks to 27 weeks the fetus continues developing and reaches viability. From 27 weeks on the fetus finishes development and prepares for delivery. Here the second trimester begins at 12w 0d and the third at 27w 0d.
Gestation:
With this method you take the 40 weeks of gestation and divide by three. Here the second trimester begins at 13w 3d and the third at 26w 6d.
Conception:
This method is where you take the 38 weeks of post conception development, divide by three, and add two weeks. Here the second trimester begins at 14w 5d and the third at 27w 3d.
No matter what method is used; a pregnancy has a beginning, middle and end. You can use the trimester dates from your Doctor, a book or a website, whichever you feel most comfortable with.
Hope this helps anyone wondering. So 14w5d is the latest method of calculating trimesters...well, I'm almost there :)
My OB said that technically, they don't consider 2nd trimester until 15 weeks. I was like, what??? I like the during the 13 week much better.
From what i've read 2nd trimester is week 13 but even though on my profile page when i hit 13wks it said welcome to 2nd trimester it did not show it on my ticker on my profile page.
Yes, I think if you divide the days up into 3 equal parts, then about 13w3 days should be the end of the first trimester. I'm with you though...I can't wait til it says 2nd trimester on MH!!
yeah MH says "congratulations you're in the second trimester!" in your day-by-day pregnancy guide when you turned 13w BUT it doesn't show 2nd until 14wk on your ticker... I considered myself 2nd halfway through the 13th week because I think, by days, that's when it converts... but I'll be celebrating 2nd trimester on MH when my ticker changes over tonight to 14wk LOL.
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