Should I tell a white lie about my LMP?

[purplecolouroffunk]

Hi everyone,

I had an MMC back in April and have just had another BFP this week 😊. This is my first cycle (had 1 period) after the MMC so I’m feeling very blessed it’s happened again so quickly.

I ovulated on CD19 - had a positive OPK the day before and it times up with the only time we were able to DTD during my fertile period.

When I register my pregnancy, I’m tempted to tell a white lie and count back 2 weeks from my ovulation date, and give that as my LMP. That will then line up way more accurately with how far along I am.

If give my real LMP I’ll already be 5 days behind at early dating scans. After my MMC and being told I was behind, I’m terrified of hearing that again. It makes such a difference in those really early weeks. It feels like it’ll make things simpler if I just give that slightly different LMP date - it’s only 4 days difference.

I plan to go for an early private scan at around 7-8 weeks to put my mind at rest and I really really want to avoid hearing I’m behind if I don’t have to. Of course I understand things might not work out, but I really want to avoid the stress of the dating thing if I can.

Is that crazy? Any thoughts? 💜

If you know when you ovulated I would do this, and completely understand your reasoning. Xx

My GP actually told me to do this with one of my pregnancies.

I did this with my first child. I knew when I had ovulated and, at all of my scans, the gestation was in line with the (“wrong”) LMP that I gave. Went into labour on my due date and gave birth the day after ☺️

I don't think everyone knows the exact date anyway to be honest! So I would do what's best for you.

However, i have a very similar story - i had a miscarriage at just over five weeks and then conceived on the next cycle, but didn't ovulate until day 20ish (confirmed using temping and ovulation tests). I told the date of my last "period" but, like you, expecting to measure behind. What's weird is that I didn't?! So somehow the baby caught up 😅

Interestingly though, I was induced at 42 weeks with him very not ready to come out, and I always wondered if secretly he was only 41 weeks and that's why...

Yes, I would!

I couldn’t even remember my LMP when I fell pregnant as they were irregular so mine was a complete guess. I’d say go for it x

Yep, I did this. Just gave a date two weeks previous.

Absolutely fine. If I’d altered my LMPs I would have matched my scans more accurately. All my pregnancies have been planned and precisely tracked- because I ovulate earlier than norm in my cycle all have been NHS scan dated to be earlier than expected by LMP! To top it off I then always give birth in my 39th week (3 times) so I’m running of ahead no matter how you look at it!

If you're sure you know when you ovulated then yes I would. The reason they ask for your LMP is because most women don't track their ovulation so LMP is the best information they have, but if you don't ovulate around day 14 it will give you inaccurate pregnancy dating. No point telling them your LMP if you have better and more accurate information. But it will be much easier to just tell them your LMP was 14 days before your ovulation date than to explain all this to them.

I've done this with both my pregnancies and it's fine. First one I was doing IVF and my cycles were all over the place (was a between IVF opposite) and second one I had a chemical and took a while to ovulate so would have been about ten days out by my lmp. It's fine. On the dating scan it always moves a bit anyway so 5 days won't make much difference

It doesn't really matter as it's the dating scan that is used for your Mat B1 form, and the appointments from then on. Loads of women must not know exactly their LMP.

Thanks everyone! This is making me feel a bit better. I think I will go with the date 2 weeks before my ovulation rather than my ‘real’ LMP.

If there are any discrepancies I guess they’ll come out in the wash further down the line, but for any early scans I really want dates to be as accurate as possible.

I would give them the full account you've given here. It's all relevant to assessing risk because the MMC will give a gravida score. They'll sort out the accurate-ish date from 12 week scan.

Congratulations.