die
Schwangerschaftswoche
📖 What does "die Schwangerschaftswoche" mean?
Die Schwangerschaftswoche (often abbreviated as SSW) translates to the week of pregnancy or gestational week. It refers to a unit of seven days used to count the duration of a pregnancy.
An average human pregnancy lasts about 40 Schwangerschaftswochen, typically calculated from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP). This is the standard method in medicine and everyday language to track the progress of the pregnancy and fetal development.
- Example: "Ich bin jetzt in der 12. Schwangerschaftswoche." (I am now in the 12th week of pregnancy.)
Article rules for der, die, and das
-e/-ee → almost always feminine.
There are many -e nouns, many of which are feminine, but there are also some important exceptions.
🧐 Grammar: A Closer Look at "die Schwangerschaftswoche"
The noun "Schwangerschaftswoche" is feminine. The definite article is die.
Singular Declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative (Subject) | die | Schwangerschaftswoche |
| Genitive (Possessive) | der | Schwangerschaftswoche |
| Dative (Indirect Object) | der | Schwangerschaftswoche |
| Accusative (Direct Object) | die | Schwangerschaftswoche |
Plural Declension:
| Case | Article | Noun |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | die | Schwangerschaftswochen |
| Genitive | der | Schwangerschaftswochen |
| Dative | den | Schwangerschaftswochen |
| Accusative | die | Schwangerschaftswochen |
📝 Example Sentences
- In welcher Schwangerschaftswoche treten normalerweise die ersten Kindsbewegungen auf? (In which week of pregnancy do the first fetal movements usually occur?)
- Der Arzt notierte die aktuelle Schwangerschaftswoche in den Mutterpass. (The doctor noted the current week of pregnancy in the maternity record book.)
- Viele Frauen erleben in den ersten Schwangerschaftswochen Übelkeit. (Many women experience nausea in the first weeks of pregnancy.)
💡 Everyday Usage
The term Schwangerschaftswoche is primarily used in these contexts:
- Medical Settings: Doctors (Ärzte), midwives (Hebammen), and medical staff use the SSW for documentation, planning check-ups, and assessing fetal development.
- Personal Conversations: Pregnant women and their families use the Schwangerschaftswoche to talk about the pregnancy's progress, share experiences, and track milestones.
- Guides and Media: Books (Bücher), websites, and apps about pregnancy often structure information by Schwangerschaftswoche.
It's considered the most precise common measurement for pregnancy duration, more specific than months (Monate), because the week-counting method is standardized.
🧠 Mnemonics for Schwangerschaftswoche
Article Mnemonic: Remember that die Woche means *the week*. A pregnancy lasts many Wochen (weeks), so it's die Schwangerschaftswoche.
Meaning Mnemonic: The word is a compound of Schwangerschaft (*pregnancy*) and Woche (*week*). It literally means a week within the pregnancy.
🔄 Synonyms and Related Terms
Synonyms
- SSW (abbreviation, very common)
- Woche der Schwangerschaft (descriptive phrase: *week of the pregnancy*)
- Gestationswoche (medical term for *gestational week*, usage might slightly differ but often used synonymously)
Antonyms
There are no direct antonyms. One could refer to periods outside of pregnancy, but this isn't a direct contrast.
Related Terms
- Trimester / Trimenon: One third of the pregnancy (approx. 13-14 weeks). Pregnancy is divided into three trimesters.
- Entbindungstermin (ET): The estimated due date (voraussichtlicher Geburtstermin), usually at the end of the 40th Schwangerschaftswoche.
😄 A Little Joke
German: Fragt die Freundin die Schwangere: "Und, in welcher Schwangerschaftswoche bist du jetzt?" Antwortet die Schwangere: "In der Woche, in der meine Füße offiziell als verschollen gelten!" 😂
English Translation: A friend asks the pregnant woman: "So, which week of pregnancy are you in now?" The pregnant woman replies: "In the week where my feet are officially declared missing!" 😂
✍️ Poem about the Schwangerschaftswoche
Counting the Weeks (Die Wochen zählen)
German:
Die erste Woche, kaum zu sehen,
die Zeit beginnt nun fortzugehen.
Die Schwangerschaftswoche, Schritt für Schritt,
nimmt das kleine Wunder mit.
Mal Übelkeit, mal Riesenhunger,
mal Müdigkeit, mal neuer Schwung, ja.
Jede Woche zählt im Leben,
das bald wird neu gegeben.
Bis vierzig Wochen sind geschafft,
entsteht ein Mensch mit voller Kraft.
English Translation:
The first week, barely to be seen,
time now starts to proceed.
The week of pregnancy, step by step,
takes the little miracle along.
Sometimes nausea, sometimes huge hunger,
sometimes fatigue, sometimes new vigour, yes.
Every week counts in the life,
that soon will newly be given.
Until forty weeks are done,
a human arises with full power.
❓ Riddle
German:
Ich zähle sieben Tage lang,
begleite neun Monate den Gang.
Bin wichtig für den Arzt und dich,
verfolge das Wachstum sicherlich.
Mal bin ich früh, mal bin ich spät,
bis man das Baby endlich seht.
Was bin ich?
English Translation:
I count for seven days long,
accompany the nine-month throng.
I'm important for the doctor and you,
I surely track the growth right through.
Sometimes I'm early, sometimes late,
until you finally see the baby's state.
What am I?(Solution: die Schwangerschaftswoche / the week of pregnancy)
🧩 Other Information about die Schwangerschaftswoche
Word Composition
The word Schwangerschaftswoche is a compound noun formed from:
- die Schwangerschaft (pregnancy)
- die Woche (week)
Counting Method
⚠️ Important: The counting of Schwangerschaftswochen conventionally starts from the first day of the last menstrual period (LMP), not from the date of conception. This means that in the 4th Schwangerschaftswoche, a woman has technically only been pregnant for about two weeks (around the time of ovulation/fertilization).
Typical Duration
An average pregnancy lasts 40 weeks (SSW 40+0). Births occurring between SSW 37+0 and SSW 41+6 are considered full-term.
📝 Summary: is it der, die or das Schwangerschaftswoche?
The noun 'Schwangerschaftswoche' is feminine, so the correct article is die Schwangerschaftswoche.