code: def _include_pull_request(self, pull_request):
          
  
          merged_date = pull_request.merged_at
          if not merged_date:
              return False
          if self.last_tag:
              last_tag_sha = self.last_tag_info["commit"].sha
              if pull_request.merge_commit_sha == last_tag_sha:
                  # Github commit dates can be different from the merged_at date
                  return False
  
          current_tag_sha = self.current_tag_info["commit"].sha
          if pull_request.merge_commit_sha == current_tag_sha:
              return True
  
          # include PRs before current tag
          if merged_date <= self.start_date:
              if self.end_date:
                  # include PRs after last tag
                  if (
                      merged_date > self.end_date
                      and pull_request.merge_commit_sha != last_tag_sha
                  ):
                      return True
              else:
                  # no last tag, include all PRs before current tag
                  return True
  
          return False
docs: Checks if the given pull_request was merged to the default branch
          between self.start_date and self.end_date