2 weeks pregnant
If we count according to the traditionally accepted obstetric system of reference for the term, the second week of pregnancy is not actually a pregnancy yet. This is the time before conception, the period when the egg is determined, which will be fertilized.
Content:
- Two approaches to determining the duration of pregnancy
- Taking a pregnancy test
- Changes in a woman's body at 2 weeks of gestation
- Ovulation
- Fertilization
- What does a woman feel after conception?
- Discharge during and after ovulation
- Pain sensations
- The first signs of pregnancy at 2 weeks of embryonic term
- What does the fetus look like?
- What does ultrasound show?
- Sex at 2 weeks pregnant
- attitude to alcohol
- Colds with fever
- What can you recommend for a woman at 2 weeks pregnant?
Two approaches to determining the duration of pregnancy
The antenatal clinic doctor, when registering a woman, counts the pregnancy period, focusing on the date of the start of the last menstruation. It is from this day that a full-term pregnancy in 40 weeks, or 10 "obstetric months", will be resolved by childbirth. If we count the gestational age from the time of embryo formation, it would be correct to count it from the middle of the cycle. With this method, the time of ovulation is determined approximately enough, because the menstrual cycle for different women has a different duration.
From a "purely female" point of view, pregnancy should be counted from the day the expected menstruation is delayed. This logical opinion is based on the fact that a woman begins to guess about her condition when she discovers the absence of another cyclical bleeding.
In order not to get confused in determining the dates, they use traditional methods of counting:
- Obstetric method - there is no pregnancy yet, the body is preparing for the likely conception. At 2 weeks, the egg matures, and by the end of this period ovulation occurs. Women planning to conceive a desired child track the onset of ovulation.
- Embryonic method - when counting the gestational age from the day of fertilization at its 2nd week, the embryo attaches to the endometrium, starting its development.
Taking a pregnancy test
Not a single, even the most accurate test, will show the presence of pregnancy at 2 obstetric weeks. There is no egg in the uterus yet, and hormonal changes in the body, to which the test strips react, have not yet begun. The only possible independent study of your condition is an ovulation test. It can be bought at a pharmacy, or you can determine the timing of ovulation by measuring basal body temperature over several cycles.
The basal temperature is measured in the morning, at the same time, without getting out of bed. The woman measures the temperature with a thermometer placed in her mouth, vagina, or rectum. During ovulation, there is a slight rise in temperature, literally by a few tenths of a degree.
If you count the gestational age according to the embryonic method, then in the second week the pregnancy test can already show a positive result. The approximate period for testing your condition is not earlier than 1-2 days before the expected menstruation.
Recommendations for using tests:
- A study carried out in the morning is considered the most accurate, although modern tests operate without error at any time of the day.
- Testing once done may be wrong, but a two- or three-time study carried out with a 2-3 day interval is always objective.
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It is advisable not to rush with the use of test strips, the optimal time is the first days after a delay in menstruation.
- According to the instructions for use, it is not necessary to evaluate the test result earlier than 10 minutes after the study - it is quite possible that the second strip will appear a little later.
- An expired test will not provide correct information.
If the embryonic method of calculating the gestational age is taken as the basis, the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) rises at 2 weeks. A blood test for hCG will determine the onset of pregnancy with 100% accuracy. It is also possible to diagnose pregnancy by an experienced doctor by a barely perceptible increase in the uterus.
Changes in a woman's body at 2 weeks of gestation
At obstetric week 2, the reproductive organs prepare for possible placement in the uterus of the embryo. During the previous menstruation, there was a change in the functional layer of the endometrium, the uterine mucosa is preparing for implantation.
Follicle-stimulating hormone has an effect on the maturation of follicles in the ovaries. These are bubbles filled with liquid, each of which contains an egg. In any menstrual cycle, several follicles mature, but by 2 weeks the dominant egg is determined. It is this follicle that goes through all stages of maturation, the rest of the cells undergo reverse development (atresia).
During ultrasound, the dominant follicle can be seen without difficulty: it is larger than the rest, located on the surface of the ovary. The follicles stimulate the production of the "main female hormone" - estrogen. The more the dominant follicle grows, the higher the level of estrogen in the woman's body. In response to an increase in the concentration of the hormone in the uterus, a loose layer of the endometrium grows in order to provide the implanted embryo with everything necessary, if necessary.
Ovulation
On the 14th day of the cycle, due to a significant increase in estrogen levels, there is a sharp increase in the content of luteinizing hormone. The dominant follicle ruptures, the egg comes out, ready for fertilization - ovulation occurs. Some women experience pain or discomfort during this period, some do not feel ovulation at all.
Depending on the individual woman's characteristics, the menstrual cycle can be longer or shorter. Therefore, ovulation does not occur on the 14th day, but earlier or later. The only regularity is that from ovulation to the end of the cycle, it always takes 14 days, or 2 weeks.
Methods for determining ovulation:
- Measurement of the basal temperature - on the day of ovulation, it rises, and does not change during fertilization, remains at the same level. If a woman has measured her basal temperature for several cycles, she can determine the time of ovulation with high accuracy and calculate the time of conception.
- Particularly sensitive women may notice pain in the lower abdomen, an increase in the volume of secretions (the effect of progesterone), and an increase in sex drive.
- Women with regular cycles, always lasting a certain number of days, can use the calendar calculation method. Following it, ovulation can be expected 14 days before the date of the likely menstruation. For example, if the cycle is 29 days, ovulation occurs on day 15 of the cycle.
- A pharmacy ovulation test is based on a reaction to luteinizing hormone in the urine. The study is carried out in the morning, no earlier than 17 days before the expected menstruation.
Fertilization
Through the abdominal cavity, the egg moves into the fallopian tubes, in one of which fertilization takes place. The egg cell remains viable only for a day, sperm - for 3-4 days. Thus, fertility in a woman is observed on the day of ovulation and a few days before it.
In place of the dominant follicle after ovulation, a corpus luteum is formed, producing progesterone. This hormone stimulates a slight increase in temperature, favorable for the expected embryo, prevents other follicles from developing, prepares the endometrium for implantation.
If the egg meets the sperm, it is fertilized. The sperm cell produces a special enzyme that destroys the shell of the egg. Thanks to this, it penetrates into the egg, where the genes of the two cells are combined. As soon as the sperm has penetrated into the egg, the structure of its membrane changes, preventing "competitors" from penetrating inside.
At the end of the second obstetric week, ovulation and fertilization of the egg occurs in the female body.
What does a woman feel after conception?
Immediately after conception, a woman may feel absolutely nothing. If she did not plan a pregnancy, then in the usual rhythm of life she may not detect changes in her condition. If a woman has planned a pregnancy in advance, she is more attentive to changes in well-being. It is possible that an increase in libido and an increase in the volume of secretions, weakness and a slight deterioration in mood will be a signal of the onset of ovulation.
Video about sensations, symptoms, signs of what is happening in the female body. What is the 2nd week of pregnancy, control of ovulation, what happens during this process, measurement of CD, determination of a favorable time for conception, how antibiotics affect conception.
Discharge during and after ovulation
A discharge similar to egg white or minimal bloody vaginal discharge indicates that the fertilized egg has already attached to the uterine wall. If the discharge is abundant, with blood, this is a symptom of endometrial hyperplasia, inflammatory diseases of the reproductive organs. Such symptoms, combined with fever, purulent leucorrhoea, are the reason for immediate medical attention.
The nature of vaginal discharge and the relationship with possible diseases:
- A mucous transparent discharge without color and odor indicates the beginning of hormonal changes.
- White curdled discharge with flakes, accompanied by itching and burning is a sign of thrush. When treating a disease, you should warn your doctor about a possible pregnancy.
- Bloody discharge normally can be a sign of ovulation, or implantation bleeding, have the character of scanty smears.
- Heavy bleeding with clots - another menstruation, a symptom of a disease of the genitals, or a sign of rejection of a dead embryo.
Pain sensations
At 2 obstetric week, especially sensitive women may feel slight pulling pains in the lower abdomen. Occasionally they can radiate to the lower back. Light sensations pass quickly and do not require medical advice. Most likely, this is a sign that the dominant follicle has burst and the body is preparing for ovulation.
If pain is noticeable at 2 weeks of the term calculated according to the embryonic method, with a high degree of probability we can say that these are signs of rejection of the ovum. If a woman has not planned a pregnancy, she will take these sensations for the onset of menstruation. If these symptoms appear during the desired and planned pregnancy, you should consult a doctor.
The first signs of pregnancy at 2 weeks of embryonic term
The predominant effect of progesterone leads to hormonal changes in the body. It manifests itself as mild weakness and nausea, mood changes, a slight increase in body temperature.
Early pregnancy symptoms:
- Changing eating habits, most often it is craving for salty.
- Enlargement of the mammary glands, the appearance of their mild pain;
- Delay in the onset of menstruation under the influence of progesterone, which prevents the rejection of the endometrium with an embryo implanted into it;
- A positive pregnancy test, valid from the first days of the delay.
A negative test result does not mean there is no pregnancy. Most likely, the concentration of hCG in the urine is still too low. A test performed after 2-3 days using a highly sensitive system may show a positive result. A high concentration of chorionic gonadotropin in some cases does not indicate pregnancy, but the presence of hormone-dependent pathologies.
Video about conception and the first 2 weeks of pregnancy. An interview with an obstetrician-gynecologist about how fertilization occurs, what a woman feels at the same time. Can menstruation go on during pregnancy? How to understand that a pregnancy has come? What to do next, when to register? Doctor's recommendations to expectant mothers.
What does the fetus look like?
When calculating the gestational age according to the obstetric method, at 2 weeks there is not a fetus, but an egg, ready for fertilization. If it does not happen, pregnancy does not start. If the egg is fertilized, it cannot be seen on ultrasound. It is fixed in the endometrium and begins to divide intensively. At the stage of transformation of a single-celled embryo into a multicellular formation, it is called a morula. There are only a few steps left before the laying of the organs and systems of the future organism.
What does ultrasound show?
At this obstetric period, ultrasound is still not informative enough. All that can be seen is the readiness of the uterus for implantation and a dominant follicle on one of the ovaries. Women who have problems conceiving can use this study to determine the exact timing of ovulation. If we are talking about the second week of pregnancy in the embryonic frame of reference, then the image from the scanner will show the embryo in the form of a tiny dot.
Sex at 2 weeks pregnant
Intimacy when planning a pregnancy during this obstetric period will lead to the desired result. Before sexual intercourse, avoid alcohol, taking medications, using local remedies (suppositories, suppositories, intimate gels, contraceptives, etc.). Fertilization experts recommend that a woman lie down for a while after sexual intercourse, raising her legs and pelvis for more successful fertilization.
For sperm to be of better quality, it is advisable to refrain from intimacy 2-3 days before ovulation. If a woman does not determine the timing of ovulation, and pregnancy is desirable, it is better not to use contraception during the entire fertile period and have sex every 2-3 days.
If the 2nd week of pregnancy is determined by the embryonic period, sex will not harm the unborn child, but too high sexual activity may have an undesirable effect on the preservation of pregnancy. A violent orgasm leads to intense contractions of the uterus, which creates the risk of rejection for the embryo that is not sufficiently attached to its wall.
attitude to alcohol
Drinking alcohol to stimulate mood and relieve nervous tension can lead to sad consequences. Alcohol does not always interfere with the formation of an egg, but its effect is difficult to calculate, it can cause irreparable harm to the unborn child. Even low alcohol drinks should not be consumed during pregnancy and planning.
In France, children born with congenital deformities and mental pathologies were called in the last century "Sunday children", that is, the fruits of drunken conception. In the USSR of the 60-70s, when abortion was not welcomed at the state level, it was enough to say that pregnancy is the result of conception while intoxicated.
Colds with fever
If a woman is planning a pregnancy, and at 2 weeks she found that she had a cold, you should not refuse to conceive. At this time, the egg is still autonomous, and is not exposed to drugs, although they should still be taken with caution, giving preference to safe means.
At the 2nd week of the term determined by the embryonic method, a cold should not be ignored, it must be treated under the guidance of a doctor. The specialist must be sure to know about the existing pregnancy.
What can you recommend for a woman at 2 weeks pregnant?
It doesn't matter by what method the gestation period was calculated, it is important to be attentive to your health and the health of the future fetus.
Pregnancy must necessarily end with the birth of a healthy child; for this, the following recommendations should be followed at the very beginning:
- You can not be exposed to stress, psychological and physical overload;
- During pregnancy, you should diversify your diet as much as possible, giving preference to fruits, vegetables, berries, herbs, nuts. The menu should be healthy fats, carbohydrates, a lot of animal and plant protein. Milk, kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese are products that are mandatory for a pregnant woman.
- You should protect yourself from passive smoking - staying in the same room with people who smoke, from contact with infectious patients.
- Do not eat foods with preservatives or dyes.
- Vitamin complexes should be taken, folic acid is especially useful for the formation of the neural tube of the embryo.
Walking in the fresh air, feasible physical education without carrying weights will benefit a pregnant woman.
Genetic Testing Videos. A film from the series "40 weeks" about the need for genetic testing at the stage of pregnancy planning. Not only the features of intelligence, body structure, eye and hair color, but also chronic diseases can be transmitted genetically. Hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy are inherited, even if the parents have no signs of these diseases. If you know about a possible pathology in advance, you can solve the problem.
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.
