1 Week Of Pregnancy - The First Signs And Sensations

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

The first week of pregnancy, what are the first sensations?

The article deals with the first week of pregnancy. The processes occurring in a woman's body at this stage of her life are described, early signs of pregnancy are indicated, useful recommendations are given regarding proper nutrition and lifestyle in general.

1 week of pregnancy is a rather arbitrary period. Gynecologists start counting it from the first day of the last menstruation. It is this number that all women most often remember, while it is not always possible to establish the exact date of conception. In addition, even if a couple knows for sure the day when unprotected intercourse occurred, this does not mean that the fertilization of the egg happened at that moment. Conception can occur even a few days after intimacy. Although it is possible that partners planning a pregnancy did an ovulation test, and it was on this day that fertilization took place. In this case, the woman knows for sure from what day the pregnancy began.

You can also start counting the first week of pregnancy from the exact date of conception if in vitro fertilization was used for this.

Content:

• What happens at 1 week of pregnancy?
• The main signs of pregnancy
• Ovulation and conception
• Diet and intake of vitamins
• Feelings of a future mother
• Useful tips for pregnant women
• Answers to questions about 1 week of pregnancy

What happens at 1 week of pregnancy?

There is a difference between such two concepts as embryonic and gestational gestational age.

The gestational period is calculated from the first day of the last menstruation (not from the onset of the delay, but from those menstruation that the woman had the last). The starting point for embryonic term is the day of fertilization. The embryonic period is usually shorter than the gestational one by 14-18 days. The fact is that from the first day of menstruation to ovulation, it takes about 2-2.5 weeks, depending on the length of the cycle. It is during this period that the fertilization of the egg can occur.

1 week of pregnancy is an important date in obstetrics. At this time, the woman's body is experiencing serious changes, which are aimed at preparing for bearing a fetus.

The standard gestation period is 40 weeks, 10 obstetric months, or 280 days. Do not confuse the calendar and obstetric month. The obstetric month has 4 weeks, that is, exactly 28 days.

If a woman knows exactly the day of the beginning of the last menstruation, then it is not at all difficult to calculate the day of birth. To this date you need to add another 7 days and count 3 months ago.

The main signs of pregnancy

It is almost impossible to understand by any sign that a woman is 1 week pregnant. After all, pregnancy as such has not yet occurred. Signs indicating that fertilization has occurred appear after a while. It is possible that aching pains occur, localized in the lower abdomen. They resemble those uncomfortable sensations that appear before the onset of the next menstruation. In addition, the woman may become more irritable.

Ovulation and conception

The day of the beginning of each period is the start for preparing the body for the upcoming pregnancy. At this time, the old layer of the endometrium leaves, which is replaced by a new one. It has a loose structure and is excellent for embryo penetration.

Hormonal changes contribute to the maturation of the egg. This complex process begins in the early years, even at the time of the girl's puberty. It is at this time that follicles begin to develop.

Each menstrual cycle in the ovary, several follicles mature at once. However, one of them is growing faster than the others. It is from it that the egg will be released during ovulation, which will be ready for fertilization.

After ovulation occurs, the mature egg is transferred from the abdominal cavity to the fallopian tube. It is there that the female reproductive cell most often meets with the sperm and conception occurs.

Ovulation occurs 12-16 days from the beginning of the menstrual cycle. But this process can happen a little earlier, and a little later: on the 8th or even on the 19th day. That is why it is difficult to establish the exact date of the birth of the future fetus. However, if partners are planning a pregnancy, the preparation process must be approached responsibly.

Diet and intake of vitamins

In the early stages of pregnancy, especially in the first weeks after conception, there are very important changes in the structure of the embryo. All organs and systems are laid, all tissues begin to form. Even the slightest negative factor at such early stages of pregnancy can lead to miscarriage. Therefore, proper nutrition of the expectant mother is one of the components of the successful course of pregnancy and the health of the unborn child.

You need to eat well, starting from the moment of planning conception. After pregnancy, it is important to carefully monitor your diet. First, the menu must be designed in such a way that a woman can get the required amount of fats, proteins and carbohydrates from it daily. The diet should be enriched with foods such as fresh vegetables and fruits, herbs, nuts and berries. Alcohol should be completely abandoned. It is forbidden to eat foods with preservatives, dyes, flavor enhancers. In general, any chemical additives can be harmful.

Secondly, you need to consult a doctor. It is possible that he will prescribe taking any vitamins. It is very important that the body of the fetus is not deficient in folic acid. This will minimize the risk of congenital defects in the nervous system. You can take folic acid as an independent drug, or you can get it from multivitamin complexes.

As a rule, gynecologists advise starting taking vitamins 3 months before the expected pregnancy. This will provide the baby with all the necessary substances and safely give birth.

Feelings of a future mother

As mentioned, there are no specific signs indicating the onset of pregnancy at 1 week. Since this period coincides with the beginning of the next menstruation, then the sensations will be appropriate: increased irritability and pain in the lower abdomen. You can feel the first signs of pregnancy only 1 week after fertilization.

Such early signs of pregnancy help to suspect that conception has occurred:

• Menstruation does not come on time. It is by the delay in menstruation that most women find out about pregnancy. The body is undergoing hormonal changes. The corpus luteum produces progesterone, which prevents the endometrium from being rejected. As a result, bleeding does not occur. It is worth considering that the absence of menstruation is not always a sign of pregnancy. Sometimes menstruation continues to go even after conception has occurred.
• A woman who monitors basal body temperature should notice a rise in these values, which is due to the increased production of progesterone.
• Sometimes, even in the early stages of pregnancy, a woman sometimes begins to experience nausea, dizziness and weakness. Most often, these unpleasant symptoms appear in the morning.
• The nature of the discharge changes, the volume of cervical mucus produced increases. Although, some women may not pay attention to this sign.
• There may be aching pains in the lower abdomen. These sensations are associated with contraction of the uterus in the early stages of pregnancy. Such pain often occurs before the onset of the next menstrual bleeding.
• The appearance of discharge with blood. The blood in the mucus is explained by the fact that the embryo has invaded the endometrium, along the way damaging small blood vessels. Most often this happens 7 days before the start of the next menstruation.
• A pregnancy test shows a positive result. The two stripes most often indicate conception has occurred, although sometimes the tests can give a false positive result.

Useful tips for pregnant women

1 week of pregnancy is a very important time to start preparing for bearing a baby, so you need to adhere to the following recommendations:

• Do not allow any toxic compounds to enter the body. To do this, it is necessary to quit smoking, completely eliminate the use of alcoholic beverages, and do not take medications that can harm the embryo. It is imperative to visit a doctor if signs of any illness appear.
• Do not expose the pelvic area to X-rays. If the doctor talks about the need to perform such a study, you need to warn him about planning a pregnancy.
• Any emotional distress must be minimized. When a woman's work is associated with constant stress, she should think in advance about the possibility of changing employment or going on vacation. It is advisable to spend as much time as possible with your partner, building a trusting relationship with him. Sexual intercourse in the first week of pregnancy is not prohibited.
• You need to adhere to the general recommendations for maintaining a healthy lifestyle: walk more, eat right, sleep the prescribed number of hours, strengthen the immune system, take vitamins.
• You can not contact people who are carriers of any infectious diseases. Any virus that has entered the body of a pregnant woman can negatively affect the development of the embryo.
• When planning a pregnancy, it is imperative to visit a doctor, especially if a woman has any chronic diseases. Sometimes an ultrasound scan and other studies are required.

Answers to questions about 1 week of pregnancy

• What can a woman feel in the first week after conception? During the first week of pregnancy, the embryo moves along the fallopian tube, reaches the uterus and is introduced into the endometrium. At this time, hormonal changes in the woman's body manifest. It is thanks to this restructuring that she can bear fruit. Therefore, malaise, general weakness, and nausea may appear, especially in the morning. Sometimes dizziness and cravings for unusual food products join. In some cases, women note an increased urge to urinate, which is explained by increased blood flow in the small pelvis. When, even before the moment of conception, a woman suffered from diseases of the digestive tract, it is possible that after the onset of pregnancy, constipation will occur and gas formation will increase. The fact is that hormones produced by the body have an effect on the intestines, reducing its contractility. Pain,which appear in the lower abdomen, are explained by spasms of the smooth muscles of the uterus.
• After a positive pregnancy test, I immediately went to the gynecologist, and the doctor gave me 4 weeks of pregnancy. An ultrasound scan showed a gestational age of 1-2 weeks. How is this possible? The gynecologist calculated the beginning of pregnancy from the date of the last menstruation. If the test was carried out in the first days of the delay, then it was from this moment that the countdown was started. The actual pregnancy begins from the moment the egg is fertilized. This occurs on days 14-18 of the cycle. The ultrasound showed the embryonic gestational age, that is, starting from the moment of conception.
• We are planning a pregnancy. There is no delay, but I feel weak, slight nausea, stomach ache, as before menstruation. Are these early signs of pregnancy? Such signs can indicate the onset of pregnancy. However, they can also accompany other conditions of the body, so a pregnancy test should be done. It is advisable to opt for the test that has an increased sensitivity to hCG.
• I think I have 1 week of pregnancy, but I got SARS. Is it dangerous for the child? Any viral infections, especially those accompanied by fever, can lead to fetal abnormalities. Sometimes doctors in such a situation recommend terminating an early pregnancy with a gentle method. Although very often serious illnesses provoke spontaneous abortions without any outside intervention. If the disease has a mild course, then it is worth waiting for the body to cope with it on its own. In this case, there is no reason for concern. However, it is necessary to consult a doctor.

The author of the article: Lapikova Valentina Vladimirovna | Gynecologist, reproductologist

Education: Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynecology received at the Russian State Medical University of the Federal Agency for Healthcare and Social Development (2010). In 2013 completed postgraduate studies at N. N. N. I. Pirogova.