Checks if the given pull_request was merged to the default branch
        between self.start_date and self.end_date

def _include_pull_request(self, pull_request):
        """ Checks if the given pull_request was merged to the default branch
        between self.start_date and self.end_date """

        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