The last menstrual period of a pregnant lady started on 20th February 2016. Her expected date of delivery is:

Appeared in: GMCH - 2016

Explanation

Naegele's rule is the standard method to calculate the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD).
The rule involves adding 9 months and 7 days to the first day of the Last Menstrual Period (LMP).
LMP is 20th February 2016.
Calculation: February 20 + 7 days = February 27.
February 27 + 9 months = November 27.
Therefore, the EDD is 27th November 2016.

Option A: This date is incorrect. It might result from a miscalculation, possibly by subtracting days instead of adding them or miscounting the months.
Option B: This date is incorrect. It does not align with the standard formula of adding 9 months and 7 days to the LMP.
Option C: This date is derived by only adding 9 months to the LMP (20th February + 9 months = 20th November) but forgets to add the crucial 7 days as per Naegele's rule.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Calculating the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) using Naegele's Rule as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Accurate EDD calculation is fundamental in antenatal care for scheduling visits, performing timely screenings (like for aneuploidy or gestational diabetes), and monitoring fetal growth.
It helps in planning for delivery, including deciding on interventions if the pregnancy goes significantly past the due date (post-term) or if labor starts too early (preterm).
What if the patient has irregular menstrual cycles or is unsure of her LMP? In such cases, Naegele's rule is unreliable. An early first-trimester ultrasound (before 14 weeks) is the most accurate method to determine the gestational age and establish the EDD.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key information provided in the question: the first day of the Last Menstrual Period (LMP), which is 20th February 2016.
Recall the standard formula for calculating the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD), which is Naegele's rule.
State Naegele's rule: EDD = LMP + 9 months + 7 days.
Apply the rule step-by-step: Start with the date (20th) and add 7 days, which gives you the 27th.
Next, take the month (February, the 2nd month) and add 9 months, which brings you to the 11th month, November.
Combine the results to get the final date: 27th November 2016. Match this calculated date with the given options.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Calculating the Expected Date of Delivery (EDD) using Naegele's Rule.
Stem keywords: last menstrual period, pregnant lady, 20th February 2016, expected date of delivery
Lead-in keywords: is
Clinical cues: LMP: 20th February 2016

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Practise the full GMCH - 2016

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.