How the due date is estimated
Pregnancy is counted from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP), about two weeks before conception. The due date is LMP + 280 days (40 weeks), adjusted for cycles longer or shorter than 28 days. From a known conception date it is + 266 days; for an IVF transfer, + 266 days minus the embryo’s age.
Only about 1 in 25 babies arrives on the due date itself; most are born between 37 and 42 weeks. An early ultrasound is the most accurate way to date a pregnancy, so follow your doctor’s dating if it differs.