Fetal age
Fetal age, also called conceptional age or embryonic age, counts how long an embryo or fetus has actually existed since the moment of fertilisation. Because ovulation and conception typically occur about two weeks after the start of your last menstrual period, fetal age is usually roughly two weeks less than gestational age. For example, at 12 weeks gestational age, the fetus is approximately 10 weeks old by fetal age. This distinction matters most in reproductive medicine and embryology research, but in everyday antenatal care your doctor will use gestational age for all scheduling and monitoring decisions.
What This Means for You
Understanding Fetal age is an important part of your all pregnancy journey. During pregnancy, your care team will use this term regularly. Being familiar with it means you can ask better questions and feel more confident at your antenatal appointments.
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If you conceived through IVF, your clinic may track fetal age more precisely from the egg retrieval or transfer date, but your obstetrician will still convert this to gestational age for standard care.
Related Terms
Source: https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/how-your-fetus-grows-during-pregnancy
Always consult your healthcare provider for personalised advice.
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