Pregnancy Due Date

Calculating a due date for a pregnancy requires a woman to remember the start date of her last menstrual cycle. This date can help determine the date of conception and thus help a health care provider estimate a date the baby is likely to be born. Most due date, however, are to be taken with a grain of salt. Few babies are actually born on their exact due date and, according to the Mayo Clinic, it's common for healthy babies to be born a week or two prior and after the given due date.

In most cases having an early or late delivery isn't something to get worked up about, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, that doesn't mean a woman two weeks past her due date won't be anxious, irritable and just ready to be done with the pregnancy.

A woman is likely to miss her due date if it's her first pregnancy, if overdue pregnancies run in her family or if the child is a boy.

If you're past your due date by more than two weeks, you may want to consider giving the baby a hand. This is for medical precaution as well as a personal choice. If so, the Mayo Clinic suggests consulting your doctor before trying any home remedies like eating spicy food or having sex.