Could my due date be wrong?

[Sofi88]

Hi everyone! I'm 39+4 and have started to wonder whether my due date is correct.. According to the first day of last period my due date should be 17/01/20, but on the 12 week scan they changed it to 11/01/20. I have a big fear of being induced, and I'm now wondering whether they could have made a mistake when changing my due date. What if my 'correct' due date is in fact the 17th.. then they will induce me 4 days after that, rather than 10.

Does anyone know which due date is most reliable?

In short, neither is reliable.

Your due date is really anytime between 37 and 42 weeks.

You can refuse an induction.

Yeah, I know I can refuse it, but wouldn't want to if that's what they recommend

I'm not in the UK but I had 2 dates. One from my last period and one from the size of the baby.

Unfortunately due dates are not an exact science!

Good luck.

My dates were completely wrong for the first. Period said I was due two weeks before Christmas. First scan changed it to two weeks after Christmas. Next scan dated me just after Christmas.
Long story short I gave birth just before my "due date" and the midwifes were absolutely
Certain I was massively overdue. Huge baby, long nails, full head of hair, failing placenta, pre-eclampsia etc.
So they were totally off the mark with me - my period estimation was closer.

They're just a guesstimate based on your last bleed and the average 28 day cycle. Somehow I had 3 dates.

My date - 22nd - based on my tracking
Midwife date - 26th - based on last bleed
Scan date - 30th - based on fetal scan

He arrived on the 9th, bang on week 37.

Do you research with regards to refusing induction. I understand you don't want to go against "recommendation" but remember that isn't a personalised recommendation to you, it's based on the average pregnancy statistics. You are very likely not average.

They should offer you increased monitoring including scans etc. The frequency will depend on your area, for mine it is every other day.

If there's no medical reason to induce you may find you're comfortable refusing. Being a certain number of days past an arbitrary due date is not a medical reason. But do research yourself and see what risks (both for and against induction - inductions bring their own risks) you are most comfortable with.

You can always still arrange an induction if you are still "overdue" at a point where you are no longer comfortable with the risks.

Due dates are somewhat meaningless, try to let go of a specific date.

Congratulations and good luck :)

If I went by my lmp I was due Christmas day... But I'm only due 26th January as I wasn't as far along. So I'd just go from your scan date as otherwise Im going a full month overdue.

My due date is a mystery. According to periods I'm 7 days past my due date, according to my very first scan I'm not due until 31st and according to the NHS growth scans I'm due on 22nd. The way it's calculated is completely unreliable and I half wish they didn't give you a 'date', more of a time period.

You can refuse induction, you can refuse anything you don't feel is right so I'd say just go with your gut instinct, perhaps if you're being pushed to be induced request a scan to check baby, fluid and placenta and make your decision from there.

Thanks so much for your replies! Good to hear it's not just me who've been given different dates. With DD everyone agreed on the due date, as period and scan showed exactly the same date. I'll talk to my midwife tomorrow and ask her what she thinks, as I'd hate to be induced on the 21st, if I'm really 'only' 40+4, as DD was born naturally at 40+7