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Usually, the beginning of pregnancy is taken on the day of the beginning of the last menstrual period. So if conception occurs in a given cycle, it will not happen until about two weeks later. This means that the week immediately preceding conception is defined as the second week of pregnancy.
The first two weeks of pregnancy are “contractual” because the woman is not actually pregnant yet. Doctors, however, assumed that the starting point should be the start of the menstrual cycle in which fertilization took place. This is convenient because knowing the date of the last menstrual period and the length of the cycles, you can estimate the date of delivery with a high degree of probability. Of course, the date is indicative, especially for women who have irregular cycles. Moreover, even in “clockwork” menstruating women, the termination of pregnancy may occur a little earlier or later.
For couples who are trying to become pregnant, its potential 2nd week is the perfect time for increased sexual intercourse. This is because sperm in a woman’s genital tract can survive for up to five days. This means that if ovulation, i.e. the release of the egg, occurs exactly on the 14th day of the cycle, intercourse on the 9th day may result in fertilization. If we also take into account the fact that ovulation may occur a little earlier in irregular cycles, the entire 2nd week of pregnancy is a period in which you can try to conceive a child.
Of course, the efforts should be approached rationally. The stress of failed attempts in previous cycles and the need to be constantly ready for intercourse can make your partner’s sperm quality significantly worse. The nervousness also affects a woman’s body. If you are both relaxed and refreshed, it will greatly increase your chances of conceiving.
1st week of pregnancy – changes in your body
In the 2nd week of pregnancy, the changes in your body will be the same as in the 2nd week of the “normal” menstrual cycle. The menstrual bleeding has just finished and the lining of the uterus thickens and becomes fluff again. Thanks to this, if fertilization occurs, the embryo will be able to establish itself in it.
The large amounts of estradiol and estrogen in your body are caused by the secretion of hormones by the ripening Graffian follicle. At the moment of ovulation, the follicle will rupture and release the second-order oocyte, i.e. the immature egg cell. Sometimes it happens that two follicles mature simultaneously. Then there is a chance for fraternal twins. However, even if two eggs mature, it may happen that only one of them is fertilized.
If your menstrual cycles are regular, you ovulate at the end of week 2, around day 14. This is the moment when an egg is released from the Graff’s follicle, ready for fertilization. If there are sperm in its vicinity, one of them may be able to penetrate the egg and fertilize it. Thus, pregnancy will begin.
Especially important in the 2st week of pregnancy
During the second week of pregnancy, focus on keeping your body rested and ready for fertilization. Get enough sleep because if you manage to conceive, you may soon have trouble sleeping. Eat small, balanced meals several times a day. Remember to rest, preferably in the form of light physical activity.
Tests in the 2st week of pregnancy
If you’ve been trying for a baby for a long time, you may have learned to recognize when you are ovulating. The woman’s body then signals that the egg will be released in a moment. Cervical mucus appears in greater quantity and resembles chicken egg white – it is thick and transparent. A woman’s body temperature also increases.
However, you should be aware that these symptoms may be disturbed, for example, by illness, stress or medications. If you want to make sure you are ovulating and you have the best chance of conception right now, you can do a special ovulation test.
The tests are available over the counter at a pharmacy and work in a similar way to pregnancy tests, except that the pregnancy tests check the levels of the hormone chorionic gonadotropin, and the ovulation tests check the level of the luteinizing hormone. The tests are performed on a sample of urine, but unlike pregnancy tests, testing of the first urine passed after waking up is not recommended. If you do the tests regularly every day, make sure you take them around the same time.
Detailed instructions for the test and how to interpret the results can be found on the test packaging.
An interesting fact about the 2nd week of pregnancy
In humans, unlike most mammals, ovulation is hidden. This means that the woman does not give any clear signals to her partner that she is ready for intercourse. Nevertheless, many studies show that women find men more attractive during ovulation. The female libido also increases during ovulation. So if you are trying for a child, all circumstances are favorable to you. Also read: 1st week of pregnancy and 3rd week of pregnancy