Week 2 of Pregnancy

Key Takeaways at Week 2

• Though no baby is conceived in the first two weeks, the gestational week counting begins on the first day of a woman's last menstrual period (LMP).

• Most doctors calculate back to the known LMP date (before conception) to ascertain the start of the 40-week pregnancy journey as it is difficult to identify the precise day of conception.

• Your egg emerges. Your egg descends the fallopian tubes in hopes of being fertilised by the sperm in the second week.

• Your uterus's lining is thinning. This gets it ready to accept the fertilised egg.

• Maybe this week you will conceive: Egg and sperm are more likely to get together in week two or three.

• If you are in Week 2 of your pregnancy you are in your first trimester.

• 38 more weeks remaining in your pregnancy.

Baby's Development at Week 2

Fertilisation hasn’t occurred yet; the focus is on the preparation of the uterine lining.

• Baby Weight: Too early to compare with anything
• Baby Length: Too early to compare with anything
• Baby Size: Too early to compare with anything.

Pregnancy Symptoms This Week

During week 2 of pregnancy, your body is rapidly changing. You will develop rapidly and you may feel specific pregnancy symptoms throughout this period.

• You may notice some small hormonal changes, such as a heightened sense of smell
• There might be mild red or brown spots on your underwear
• You may need to urinate more
• You may experience weariness as your body begins to change
• As ovulation approaches, that is, your peak reproductive days, you may notice an increase in your sexual urge
• You may have brief lower abdominal discomfort. This is referred to as Mittelschmerz, a mild, one-sided aching or twinge in the pelvis induced by the release of the egg during ovulation.
• This week, your tummy will not exhibit any symptoms of an expansion, but you may feel more gassy or bloated than normal.
• At this stage, ovulation symptoms might help you choose the optimal time to have intercourse and, perhaps, conceive. If you see these indicators you're definitely ovulating.

Your Body at Week 2

It's early days, and you could not even be pregnant. If you are, minor indicators will emerge in the next few weeks.

Week two pregnancy symptoms may include painful or sore breasts, mild spotting, and cervical mucus.

Hormonal changes increase your capacity to detect diverse smells, which is most likely nature's method of helping you sniff out male pheromones in order to reproduce.

As your ovary releases an egg, you may experience a little discomfort in one side of your abdomen. This is the phenomenon known as Mittelschmerz, named for the doctor who initially described it.

You may see some spotting between 10 and 14 days after fertilisation. This is triggered by the embryo implanting into your uterine lining.

Pregnancy hormones might lead you to use the restroom more often in the first few weeks of pregnancy.

If you regularly examine your cervix, as many women who chart do, you may notice a change as it rises higher, softer, and more open while you're ovulating. Some women use an OTC ovulation prediction kit to assist them in determining when they may be most fertile. A low-tech technique is to have intercourse every other day between days 8 and 19 of your menstrual cycle, roughly the end of the second week to the beginning of the third.

2 Week Ultrasound

You are unlikely to get an ultrasound at two weeks pregnant. If you could see inside your two-week tummy during ovulation, it would look like this: First, your ovary releases an egg (smaller than a fleck of powdered pepper) into your fallopian tube, which must be fertilised within 12 to 24 hours. If you've had intercourse within the past five days, there may still be live sperm within you, one of which might fertilise the egg. Otherwise, you'll need to have intercourse to become pregnant.

Tips for Week 2

This is a critical period for you and your baby. Here's some additional professional advice on how to transition to this new stage while keeping you and your baby safe.

• You should begin taking prenatal supplements containing DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) throughout the following nine months. During pregnancy or nursing, the recommended dose of DHA is approximately 200 mg (check with your doctor).

• If you want to have a baby, start taking supplements well in advance to support the baby's growth and development. In the first month of pregnancy, the baby's neural tube begins to grow, which will eventually become the baby's brain and spinal cord.

• Prenatal vitamins might have an unexpected adverse effect: constipation. To alleviate pain and boost pregnant health, consider these easy digestive methods.

• Now is the time to break undesirable habits like drinking and smoking. Studies have established a correlation between prenatal smoking and smaller brains in newborns, so remember that every decision counts, no matter how early in your pregnancy.

Checklist for Week 2

Knowing what to accomplish week by week will help you feel more prepared and less stressed. Include these new tasks on your to-do list this week.

• Consider doing an ovulation test
• Take a prenatal vitamin containing folic acid every day
• Get out and exercise—it's always rejuvenating
• Begin a healthy lifestyle routine
• Ensure you’re on a balanced diet

Frequently Asked Questions on Week 2 of Pregnancy

1. When should I take a pregnancy test?
   Most pregnancy tests may be performed as early as the first day of missing your period. If you are unsure when your next period is due, take the test at least 21 days after your last unprotected intercourse. Some pregnancy tests are very sensitive and may be used before you miss a period.
2. What are the signs of successful implantation?
   If the implantation is successful, spotting or minor cramping might happen. If unsuccessful, your menstruation will begin. Some of the most frequent post-embryo implantation symptoms are mentioned below -
   
   • Breast pain
   • Nausea
   • Bloating
   • Cramp
   • Fatigue
   • Vaginal discharge
   • Headaches
   • Implantation bleeding
   • Mood swings