# Will you deliver before or after your due date? Here is a clue



## oneway

I have always wondered if there was a connection between the length of a menstrual cycle and the delivery date. While searching around I came across this scientific study that proves that there is a direct relationship between the length of a woman's menstrual cycle and when she is likely to deliver. 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1823415/?page=1

The study shows that women who have shorter cycles tend to have their babies before or close to their due dates while women with longer cycles have a very high chance of going over their due date. I had a growth scan at 29+2 and was told that my baby was measuring 30+5. Since I have previously had regular cycles that last 26 to 28 days I am curious to see if I will deliver before my due date. 

If you think about it it's so strange that doctors use such a simplistic way of calculating the due date. They assume every woman has a 28 day cycle and that she ovulates on day 14. Some calculators have now started using ovulation date as a factor in calculating due date. This is an improvement over the old method. However, menstrual cycle length should also be taken into consideration. This could save a lot of needless inductions and keep pregnant women from wondering and worrying if they go over their due dates.

Can you ladies who have had babies before share your experiences regarding the connection between your cycle length and when baby was born (before/on/after due date)?


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## jollygood000

I average a 30 day cycle although not 100% regular and have gone over with both my pervious babies. 1st was induced and born at 11days past my date and I went into labour naturally with my second at 9 days overdue! x


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## RaspberryK

Interesting read! I wonder if it's true for me - I think it might be !

x


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## Lashes85

My cycles were 30 plus days before getting pregnant this time, and I've had all my boys 10 days early. But my cycle lengths were never usually this long. After having my 3rd son my periods not only got longer but more heavier too. I'm sure I had shorter cycles before. Hope this doesn't mean this baby will be late lol xx


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## lau86

Oh no this is not good news! I had ridiculously long cycles since coming off the pill, I know I ovulated around the 4th of December but I can't seem to find anything that will tell me a due date based on that. I'm only one day overdue but I just have a big fear of being induced (all I seem to hear about is that it doesn't work and it's a c section)


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## jacks mummy

I'm a exact 28day cycle ovulating on day 14 and I had my son at 39weeks :) so we shall see with this baby x


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## Darling

Interesting article but I have to disagree. Women are statistically more likely to go overdue on their first baby. I have a 26 day cycle and both my babies were late. No.1 by 8 days and No.2 by 2 days.


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## Mindy_mini

oneway said:


> If you think about it it's so strange that doctors use such a simplistic way of calculating the due date. They assume every woman has a 28 day cycle and that she ovulates on day 14. Some calculators have now started using ovulation date as a factor in calculating due date. This is an improvement over the old method. However, menstrual cycle length should also be taken into consideration. This could save a lot of needless inductions and keep pregnant women from wondering and worrying if they go over their due dates.
> 
> Can you ladies who have had babies before share your experiences regarding the connection between your cycle length and when baby was born (before/on/after due date)?

the thing is with almost 50% of pregnancies being unplanned a lot of women don't know when they ovulate (in fact from my experience many who fall into this 50% can't give a specific date for their LMP (I was training to be a mw before having LO)) so using the 28 day cycle with day 14 ovulation is the best they can do in early stages. This is what dating scans are for, to confirm the exact EDD. 

As for the study, I will confess I haven't had time to read it as have LO to get ready but I have a 27/28day cycle and I was induced at 42wks, 3 days so I dont fall into the norm for this study


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## babyhopesxx

I have a regular 28 day cycle and ovulate on day 14. My DS was 7 days overdue and i went into labour naturally with him.


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## Blah11

Mindy_mini said:


> oneway said:
> 
> 
> If you think about it it's so strange that doctors use such a simplistic way of calculating the due date. They assume every woman has a 28 day cycle and that she ovulates on day 14. Some calculators have now started using ovulation date as a factor in calculating due date. This is an improvement over the old method. However, menstrual cycle length should also be taken into consideration. This could save a lot of needless inductions and keep pregnant women from wondering and worrying if they go over their due dates.
> 
> Can you ladies who have had babies before share your experiences regarding the connection between your cycle length and when baby was born (before/on/after due date)?
> 
> the thing is with almost 50% of pregnancies being unplanned a lot of women don't know when they ovulate (in fact from my experience many who fall into this 50% can't give a specific date for their LMP (I was training to be a mw before having LO)) so using the 28 day cycle with day 14 ovulation is the best they can do in early stages. This is what dating scans are for, to confirm the exact EDD.
> 
> As for the study, I will confess I haven't had time to read it as have LO to get ready but I have a 27/28day cycle and I was induced at 42wks, 3 days so I dont fall into the norm for this studyClick to expand...

The girl doing my ultrasound was most impressed with me as I had my dates spot on :smug:


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## 10.Laura

Good article - thank you for sharing :)


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## pinkpolkadot

Thanks for sharing :flower: I had very messed up cycles but fortunately the doc listened when I told her when I had actualy ov'd (I was charting) and based my EDD on that (and then confirmed with scan) instead of on my LMP. If they had gone by LMP my due date would have been more than 2 weeks earlier and I would be classed as overdue now!


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## momma_2_four

Oh lord that's depressing!!! My cycles would go anywhere from 36-48 days. Once to 54! 

BAH! *deep breath* Lol. Oddly enough I've never even made it to my due date with any of my pregnancies.

Looks like I'm an oddball. :haha:


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## luvmyfam

Hmm interesting. My doctor gives the due date based on the earliest ultrasound measurement of the baby.


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## MRSRICHRS2K

My son was born 4 days early and my cycles were 28days and lasted 4-5 days, cycles were the same with my daughter but i was induced.. this time my cycles ranged from 24-27 days and lasted 4-5 days again so time will now tell lol xx


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## lynnikins

my natural cycles before being on the pill were 31 days they regulated to 28 while on the pill and when not on the pill post ds1 were as long as 40 days , the boys were born at 13 days over and 11 days over, not expecting this one to arrive before at least a week overdue


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## 2RockinBoys

I don't know how truthful it would be for myself as i was on the pill for so long i dont know what my natural cycle is. All i know is that my first was 12day's late and i was induced >.<


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## Lara+sam+bump

I had a 26-28 day cycle and Noah was born on his due date. This time round I am 6 days out for dates and measurements so not sure what happened there?? xx


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## NashiPear

I had a fairly regular cycle that was around 28 days (give or take a day or two max). My daughter was born early at 38+2. After she was born my cycle shortened and was as short as 23-24 days. After 4 months of trying to fall prgnant (I wasn't trying too hard), I decided to make a conscious effort to "try" a few days earlier and yup, it happened. Going on my LMP I was given a due date, but had a scan at 9 weeks that put me 3 days ahead. So yeah, I guess there could be some sense in that. This baby is very big already and they want a growth scan at 36 weeks to plan for delivery. He is already sitting very low and people look shocked when I tell them I still have 6 weeks to go. No one seems to think I will make it and looking at our family history, I think it is unlikely that I will. I even went before my scheduled caesarean date with my daughter who was breech.


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## lilvixen

Obviously doesn't apply to me lol! :haha:

My cycles are always around at least 40 days and had my first baby a day early & second baby on her due date :)


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## MonstHer

I did not have a lmp because I was on birth control.
They used my 8 week ultrasound to date me. 
What does this mean for me? : (


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## heather91

Im not really sure on my cycle length, I thought 28 days, but I've been put back 2 weeks with each pregnancy (even though I was sure of my dates) and went into labour on my due date with DD, and I am in early labour now at 38+4 with this baby.


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## sun

My cycles were 25-26 days before having my first and he was born at 35+6. When I got pregnant this time my cycle was even shorter (~21 days) so yikes! :(


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## Acorn

I had longer cycles after going off the pill, but I told my MW how long my cycles had been and she calculated that into the due date. I thought they usually did that...

I was also charting, and the MW and I both came up with the same due date. Also, there are many online due date calculators that you can put in the date you ovulated to calculate the due date, rather than the first day of your last period.


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## Scarletvixen

This makes sense asthe two time i went into labour on my own they were both 4 days late xx


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## ahcigar1

This is very interesting and hopefully holds true because when I got pregnant my dates were exact and when had scan at 8 weeks and 12 weeks she was measuring spot on. My cycle was 28 days and ovulated on day 14 exactly. Will be very curious to see if this holds true for me. Will be very happy if it does.


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## katlin

With my son i wasnt sure of my dates and was induced at 39 weeks due to distress. This one i charted for and tryed for 4 months to get pregnant and found my cycles to be 29days. I also found i was ovulating early the cycle i got pregnant i ovulated day 9 and sure enough baby was measuring 5 days ahead at my 20week scan and after telling my doc that i ovulated dy nine and then taking into account the ultrasound measurments she bumped me up 5 days.


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## sam1984

always had 28 day cycle
1st baby 3 days early
2nd baby 12 days early
3rd baby 11 days late.
guess i will just have to sit and wait with this one


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## misspink

I am certain of my dates as I was using a cbfm and was pretty regular anyway. My 3 earlier scans were bang on but my dating scan was 5 days out (my edd got brought forward). I think that was because the baby had a growth spurt to be honest. But as they take this date as edd and don't change it, even if my baby is on time for my dates, she will be 5 days late by the official dates. I don't think they take cycle length into account when calculating due dates from lmp date, and I suspect this is why women with shorter cycles are more likely to be early - as they technically should be pregnant for a few days less than someone with longer cycles, but this is never taken into account by the doctors. I think some online calculators do take this into accout though, which is quire useful.


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## darsilver1

I believe I have 27 day cycles with my period lasting 5 or 6 days...I had my first child at 38 weeks...I am curious to see when this LO will come...:winkwink:


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## new_mum

Aww ffs at this rate I'll be preggers for about a year, my cycles can last for up to 50 odd days - my LO was actually conceived a whole month after my last period :(


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## Blah11

new_mum said:


> Aww ffs at this rate I'll be preggers for about a year, my cycles can last for up to 50 odd days - my LO was actually conceived a whole month after my last period :(

:rofl:

I know how you feel.


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## FeistyMom

My cycles were 34 days and my first two daughters were born on their due dates. I am deeply convinced that this one will be early though - partially because LMP is not a great indicator since I didn't have regular periods between DD2 and this pregnancy, and partially because I have GD this time around and I don't know that they will let me go to my due date!


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