Does my trimester really depend on what country I'm in?

SarahBear · Apr 17th, 2012, 19:18 PM

So this site says the first trimester is weeks 1-13. An Australian site seemed to confirm this number, but all the American stuff I look at says weeks 1-12. So... Does that mean that as an American I'll start my second trimester sooner than UK and AU ladies? I'm currently in week 12 and figured that when I reached 12 weeks pregnant, I'd be starting my second semester. This site and others have confused me, but I think I have it figured out... Anyone else notice conflicting numbers?

minties · Apr 17th, 2012, 19:23 PM

Well, if you break 40 weeks into 3, 12 weeks for first tri doesn't really make any sense. Each trimester is really 13.3 weeks. That's how I see it anyway.

Heather1 · Apr 17th, 2012, 19:33 PM

I read that the second trimester begins at the END of the 12th week. This was on a medical website based out of the US.

13w3d is technically correct, but it's weird because then the third tri is almost always going to be longer/shorter than the other two... I've found that my Doctor uses the more loose interpretation... So by the beginning of 13 weeks, I will be 2nd tri!

I suppose it's whatever makes you feel comfortable. Maybe entry into 2nd trimester is less of a benchmark and more of a slow transition. LOL!

taylorxx · Apr 17th, 2012, 20:15 PM

I say it's 12 weeks. It's really 13.3, but once you're 12w1d, you're into your 13th week. x

seaweed eater · Apr 17th, 2012, 20:34 PM

Yes, I have definitely noticed conflicting numbers. Even within the US I've heard 12, 13, and 14.

I think it's more about the things that are associated with the transition. For me, all of the following happened around 13-14 weeks: I started noticing a bump, I had an NT scan, I stopped feeling sick, I told a lot of people about the pregnancy, I felt my first movement. After all those happened around the same time, I felt like things had definitely changed and I was on to the next stage.

SarahBear · Apr 17th, 2012, 20:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather1

I read that the second trimester begins at the END of the 12th week. This was on a medical website based out of the US.

At the beginning of your 12th week, you are 11 weeks pregnant. At the end of your 12th week, you are 12 weeks pregnant.

SummerFairy · Apr 17th, 2012, 20:50 PM

It's just an arbitary number and it really dosen't mean anything. Just go with the one you are most comfortable with. It's just like a due date...it's a guess and not exact.

taylorxx · Apr 17th, 2012, 21:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahBear

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heather1

I read that the second trimester begins at the END of the 12th week. This was on a medical website based out of the US.

At the beginning of your 12th week, you are 11 weeks pregnant. At the end of your 12th week, you are 12 weeks pregnant.

How would that even work? I've always been once you reach a certain week, you just completed it. Like take 8w5d, that's 8 weeks AND 5 days, meaning I'm in my 9th week. When you count your childs age by weeks, lets say your baby is 12 weeks and 3 days, you'd say the child is 13 weeks because it has surpassed 12 weeks.. When you are 40w1d, you're considered "overdue". That's just what my doctor has told me. How does the other way work? I'm sorry I'm just confused. I probably just read it wrong LOL! x

SarahBear · Apr 17th, 2012, 22:25 PM

taylorxx, it's like this:

The first day of your last period is considered the beginning of pregnancy, right? So the day you miss your period, you're not one week pregnant even though you're in your first week. By the next week, you're one week pregnant, but it's your second week, et cetera.

Here's another way to think about it. When your baby is born, he or she is 0 years old. You have to wait until a whole year has passed to say he or she is 1 year old. Once the baby is one year and one day, the baby is still one year even though he or she has started his or her second year.

So, when I'm starting my 12th week, it is because I've completed 11 weeks and am in the process of completing another week. I wouldn't say I'm 12 weeks though until I've completed that 12th week, just as I wouldn't say I'm 24 years old until I've completed my 24th year of life and am on to my 25th year.

pink_rulez · Apr 18th, 2012, 00:45 AM

Thank you Sarah bear for clearing that up! It's such a good way of thinking about it, I get so confused with weeks n dates n stuff, I hate how when you actually have a baby it's age gets moved from being weeks and months all the time I get so confused I usually don't have a clue how many weeks Sophie is I lost count at about 9 months and still don't have a clue how many weeks that made her lol x

Apr 17th, 2012, 19:18 PM	#1
SarahBear Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 1,821	Does my trimester really depend on what country I'm in? So this site says the first trimester is weeks 1-13. An Australian site seemed to confirm this number, but all the American stuff I look at says weeks 1-12. So... Does that mean that as an American I'll start my second trimester sooner than UK and AU ladies? I'm currently in week 12 and figured that when I reached 12 weeks pregnant, I'd be starting my second semester. This site and others have confused me, but I think I have it figured out... Anyone else notice conflicting numbers?

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Apr 17th, 2012, 19:23 PM	#2
minties Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: New Zealand Posts: 6,144	Well, if you break 40 weeks into 3, 12 weeks for first tri doesn't really make any sense. Each trimester is really 13.3 weeks. That's how I see it anyway.

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Apr 17th, 2012, 19:33 PM	#3
Heather1 Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: California Posts: 596	I read that the second trimester begins at the END of the 12th week. This was on a medical website based out of the US. 13w3d is technically correct, but it's weird because then the third tri is almost always going to be longer/shorter than the other two... I've found that my Doctor uses the more loose interpretation... So by the beginning of 13 weeks, I will be 2nd tri! I suppose it's whatever makes you feel comfortable. Maybe entry into 2nd trimester is less of a benchmark and more of a slow transition. LOL!

Status: Offline

Apr 17th, 2012, 20:15 PM	#4
taylorxx Pregnant (Expecting) BnB Addict Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: US Posts: 5,312	I say it's 12 weeks. It's really 13.3, but once you're 12w1d, you're into your 13th week. x

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Apr 17th, 2012, 20:34 PM	#5
seaweed eater Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: US Posts: 5,508	Yes, I have definitely noticed conflicting numbers. Even within the US I've heard 12, 13, and 14. I think it's more about the things that are associated with the transition. For me, all of the following happened around 13-14 weeks: I started noticing a bump, I had an NT scan, I stopped feeling sick, I told a lot of people about the pregnancy, I felt my first movement. After all those happened around the same time, I felt like things had definitely changed and I was on to the next stage.

Status: Offline

Apr 17th, 2012, 20:50 PM	#7
SummerFairy Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: TN,USA Posts: 408	It's just an arbitary number and it really dosen't mean anything. Just go with the one you are most comfortable with. It's just like a due date...it's a guess and not exact.

Status: Offline

Apr 17th, 2012, 22:25 PM	#9
SarahBear Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 1,821	taylorxx, it's like this: The first day of your last period is considered the beginning of pregnancy, right? So the day you miss your period, you're not one week pregnant even though you're in your first week. By the next week, you're one week pregnant, but it's your second week, et cetera. Here's another way to think about it. When your baby is born, he or she is 0 years old. You have to wait until a whole year has passed to say he or she is 1 year old. Once the baby is one year and one day, the baby is still one year even though he or she has started his or her second year. So, when I'm starting my 12th week, it is because I've completed 11 weeks and am in the process of completing another week. I wouldn't say I'm 12 weeks though until I've completed that 12th week, just as I wouldn't say I'm 24 years old until I've completed my 24th year of life and am on to my 25th year.

Status: Offline

Apr 18th, 2012, 00:45 AM	#10
pink_rulez Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Bristol,UK Posts: 1,762	Thank you Sarah bear for clearing that up! It's such a good way of thinking about it, I get so confused with weeks n dates n stuff, I hate how when you actually have a baby it's age gets moved from being weeks and months all the time I get so confused I usually don't have a clue how many weeks Sophie is I lost count at about 9 months and still don't have a clue how many weeks that made her lol x

Status: Offline

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