Pregnancy from day one

Week 1 of pregnancy: Symptoms, tips, baby development

Reviewed by

Dr. Anna Klepchukova

Intensive care medicine specialist, chief medical officer, Flo Health Inc., UK

You’ve probably heard that pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period. Doctors do this because it’s very difficult to accurately measure the exact day of conception. This means that during week 1, you were actually not pregnant yet, but your body was already preparing for this event.

Although this week is considered to be the first week of pregnancy, you were actually on your period. Your baby won’t be conceived during the first two weeks of pregnancy!

Like we said before, the first week of pregnancy isn’t measured from the date you conceive. As a rule, the estimated delivery date is calculated by the gynecologist from the first day of the last menstruation, since it is often impossible to determine the exact day of conception. It occurs approximately 2 weeks later during ovulation.

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Pregnancy is calculated this way because, even if you know the exact date when you ovulated — a lot of women don’t — it’s still very difficult to be certain of the moment in which your baby was conceived. Especially if you’re trying to get pregnant, you’ll probably be having intercourse several times around your ovulation. So by the time you miss your period and find out you’re pregnant, you’ll probably be around 4 weeks pregnant!

Your baby at week 1 of pregnancy

Believe it or not, there’s no baby yet during your first week of pregnancy. During the first days of pregnancy, the egg that will be released — and hopefully fertilized — is starting to mature inside your ovaries. During your period, around 20 eggs or ova are still inside their ovarian follicles, and they start to prepare for next month’s ovulation. Only one, or occasionally two, eggs will actually be released into the fallopian tubes each cycle to be fertilized.

How big is your baby at 1 week pregnant?

While there’s no baby to be measured yet, your body is preparing itself for pregnancy. A woman’s egg is the largest single cell in the human body, and it begins to mature even during the first week of pregnancy.

This process is called the ovarian cycle, and during the first days of pregnancy, you’ll be entering the follicular phase. The beginning of this phase coincides with the start of your period. At first, a hormone called FSH or follicle stimulating hormone causes many immature follicles to begin preparing for ovulation.

But by days 5 to 7 of your cycle, one egg has become dominant. The dominant egg usually has a stronger blood supply and produces more estrogen. Estrogen will also stimulate the thickening of your uterine lining.

During the follicular phase, this dominant egg matures and then waits for ovulation.

Pregnancy week 1 fetal development

Since the conception hasn’t happened, there’s still no fetal development during the first week of pregnancy. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t start working towards a healthy pregnancy.

Your egg and the father’s sperm are already gearing up for pregnancy. Having a healthy pregnancy largely depends on the quality of these two cells, which have to contain 23 chromosomes each. These 23 chromosomes contain all of your and your partner’s genetic information. When all 46 chromosomes are combined, you get a baby!

Even if there’s no baby yet, creating healthy lifestyle habits and taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy can maximize your chances of conceiving a healthy baby.

During the first week of pregnancy, you’re actually going through your last menstruation before the baby. Since your estimated gestational age will be counted from the first day of your last period, technically the first day of your pregnancy will be the same as the day when you start menstruating.

During these days, your body will be getting rid of last month’s egg and uterine lining. Especially during the first two days of pregnancy — or the first two days of your period — most women experience a heavier menstrual flow. This will help your body prepare for a new cycle.

Once your period ends, a new egg will already be maturing, and your uterine lining or endometrium will start to thicken again. This lining is where the fertilized egg will implant itself after conception, ready to start growing.

Week 1 pregnant belly

There won’t really be a baby bump during the first week of your pregnancy, or really, for the next few weeks. Since you’ll be menstruating during this week, it is possible that hormonal changes might make you feel a bit bloated due to fluid retention. Other women experience cramps during their menstruation or abdominal tenderness.

Every woman has different symptoms during their period, and this one shouldn’t be any different from your previous menstruations

Week 1 pregnant symptoms

Since conception hasn’t occurred yet, you won’t experience pregnancy symptoms from day 1. For many women, their first real symptom of pregnancy comes a month later when they miss their period. But you might experience menstrual symptoms during the first days of pregnancy. Some of the most common menstrual symptoms include:

uterine cramps
breast tenderness
back pain
headaches
mood changes
acne or pimples
fatigue
diarrhea or constipation

Week 1 pregnant ultrasound: do you need it?

You don’t really need an ultrasound during the first week of pregnancy. However, your doctor might perform one if you haven’t had a pre-conceptional checkup or if you’ve had trouble conceiving. At this point, an ultrasound can help diagnose anatomical abnormalities that might make it harder for you to conceive, such as fibroids or polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Week 1 pregnant lifestyle

If you’re trying to conceive, there are many lifestyle changes you can adopt to improve your chances of getting pregnant. Some of these new habits include:

Starting a healthier diet: there isn’t a specific fertility diet, but eating healthier foods can help you get pregnant faster. Include foods like leafy greens, mercury-free fish, seeds and nuts, complex carbs, fruits, and plenty of water in your diet to prepare your body for a healthy pregnancy.
Avoid certain substances: even if you’re not technically pregnant, staying away from alcohol, tobacco, excessive caffeine, simple carbs, trans fats, and environmental pollutants can improve your chances of having a healthy baby.
Start exercising: it’s never too late to get healthy once you’ve decided you want a baby. Exercising is a great way to reach a healthy weight before a baby!
Get enough sleep: studies have shown that women who don’t get enough sleep can have more trouble getting pregnant.
Track your cycle: use a menstrual calendar like Flo to determine exactly when your cycle begins, how many days it lasts, and the approximate date of your ovulation.

Sex at week 1 of pregnancy

Most women aren’t on their fertile window during their period, and during the first week of pregnancy, you’ll still be around 14 days away from ovulation. But that doesn’t mean you can’t start practicing!

Sperm can live up to 5 days inside the uterine cavity, so even having sex a few days before ovulation can result in a pregnancy. Once you’ve decided you’re ready to conceive, avoid using lubricant. Some lubricants can change the pH inside your vagina and make it harder for sperm to swim.

Week 1 pregnant checklist

Even before conception, these are some things you can do to make sure your body is in top shape for a pregnancy:

start taking prenatal vitamins before pregnancy
track your menstrual cycle
set up a pre-conceptional visit with your doctor
quit smoking
reduce your caffeine intake
start exercising
get plenty of sleep
eat healthier foods
gather your and your partner’s family histories

What to ask your doctor?

If you’ve decided you’re ready to try for a baby, it’s time to get a pre-conceptional checkup. Your doctor can advise you on any necessary lifestyle changes, which are the best prenatal vitamins before pregnancy, and how to calculate your estimated delivery date. If you’re tracking your cycle, this information can help your doctor determine these dates.

Pregnancy is commonly divided into 3 terms, each of which takes a little more than 13 weeks. Full-term babies are born from 39 weeks to 40 weeks and 6/7 weeks of gestation. And if you’re pregnant with twins, it is advisable to deliver twins at 38 completed weeks' gestation or later to avoid neonatal complications. Keeping track of your cycle will allow your doctor to be certain of these dates even before the first ultrasound.

Even though there’s no baby during the first week of pregnancy, your body is already preparing itself for conception. That means that there are already many things you can do to improve your chances of having a healthy pregnancy. Follow a healthy lifestyle during the first days of pregnancy and you’ll be taking care of your baby even before it’s here!

References

https://www. thebump.com/pregnancy-week-by-week/1-weeks-pregnant https://www.babymed.com/pregnancy-week-by-week/1-week-pregnant

2 week pregnant

3 week pregnant

4 week pregnant

You and your pregnancy at 1 to 3 weeks

Your weeks of pregnancy are dated from the first day of your last period.

This means that in the first 2 weeks or so, you are not actually pregnant – your body is preparing for ovulation (releasing an egg from one of your ovaries) as usual.

Your "getting pregnant" timeline is:

day 1: the first day of your period
day 14 (or slightly before or after, depending how long your menstrual cycle is): you ovulate
within 24 hours of ovulation, the egg is fertilised by sperm if you have had sex in the last few days without using contraception
about 5 to 6 days after ovulation, the fertilised egg burrows into the lining of the womb – this is called implantation
you're now pregnant

Find out more about trying to get pregnant.

You at 1 to 3 weeks

The first thing most women notice is that their period does not arrive.

Find out about the signs and symptoms of pregnancy

The most reliable way of finding out if you're pregnant is to take a pregnancy test.

Once you think you could be pregnant, it's important to get in touch with a midwife or doctor to start your pregnancy (antenatal) care.

You can do this by contacting:

your GP surgery – if you're not registered with a GP, you can find a GP
your local hospital's maternity unit – find maternity services

Things to think about

In the early days and weeks of pregnancy, you may not know if you're pregnant.

But you can do the following things:

take a folic acid supplement of 400 micrograms a day while you're trying to get pregnant and until the 12th week of pregnancy
take a vitamin D supplement of 10 micrograms a day
avoid some foods to protect against infections
stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for your baby's health

You can get supplements from pharmacies and supermarkets, or your GP may be able to prescribe them for you.

If you want to get your vitamin D or folic acid from a multivitamin tablet, make sure the tablet does not contain vitamin A (or retinol).

You can get vitamin supplements containing folic acid and vitamin D free of charge if you're under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding and qualify for the Healthy Start scheme.

Go to you and your baby at 4 weeks pregnant.

Page last reviewed: 12 October 2021
Next review due: 12 October 2024

Pregnancy - from the first days

With the onset of pregnancy, a woman's body immediately begins to rebuild in work and prepare for bearing a baby. After all, a young mother has a journey of 40 weeks, when she will carry a baby in herself, and her body will create all the most favorable conditions for this, provide the baby not only with a small, cozy apartment, but also with nutrition and oxygen. A woman who has received a long-awaited pregnancy treats all changes in her body with special attention, listens to every new sensation!

And how should a woman feel at the very beginning of pregnancy?

The first sign of an "interesting" situation, of course, menstruation that did not start on time . Already on the first day of delay, you can do a urinary pregnancy test, with a high probability it will show the true result. More informative and important for an obstetrician-gynecologist will be the value of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, determined by the blood of a pregnant woman, this is a hormone that is produced by the future placenta, it appears in the woman's body from the first hours of pregnancy and actively increases in the future. By the amount of this hormone, the doctor will judge the gestational age, the absence of pathological conditions and the developmental norms of this pregnancy and will guide you on the most optimal terms for ultrasound examination.

Breast engorgement and enlargement. Gradually appearing symptom. If a woman has examined her breasts during the last year, was examined by a mammologist, underwent an ultrasound examination of the mammary glands, and received a conclusion from the doctor - she is healthy, there is nothing to worry about! The mammary glands enter a new phase of development and prepare for the upcoming feeding of the child. If the mammary glands have not been examined for more than a year, it is recommended to undergo an ultrasound scan to exclude possible pathology, especially since the obstetrician-gynecologist will need this examination to register for pregnancy.

Drawing pains in the lower abdomen. May be normal only if they occur no more than 1-2 times a day, and go away on their own after a few minutes. In other cases, pain in the lower abdomen, of course, is not an indicator of a pathological or complicated course of pregnancy, but it is still necessary to consult a doctor. The gynecologist will determine the cause of the pain and give recommendations on the regimen, permissible loads and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.

Nausea and vomiting. Not the most pleasant, but almost inevitable signs of pregnancy. If nausea occurs predominantly in the morning, try to fight it with food. Before going to bed, prepare for yourself a piece of an apple or a banana, you can have a cracker or a biscuit cookie, even a cracker will do. In the morning after waking up, without getting out of bed, enjoy the "piece" waiting for you, very often this is what saves you from an attack of morning sickness. A small spoonful of honey helps. Drink more liquids, mineral water, juices, tea. Ginger tea fights toxicosis well. Eat small meals. At least 5-7 times a day. Food should not be fatty or spicy. Avoid stuffy rooms. Walk outdoors more. Daytime naps are recommended. If vomiting occurs, especially more than 1-2 times a day, you should consult a doctor. Additional examination and more serious treatment may be required.

Discharge from the genital tract becomes more profuse during pregnancy. Normally, this is a clear, odorless mucous discharge. If there is “something wrong” in the discharge, it is better to consult a doctor. They will take a swab from you to determine the degree of purity of the vagina, see why the discharge has changed its character, and whether it needs treatment. Since during pregnancy the woman's body is in an immunosuppressive state, that is, the mother's immunity is reduced, inflammatory changes in the vagina may occur, which during pregnancy is very important to treat in a timely manner.

If you are concerned about bloody or brown discharge from the genital tract, you should not panic, but you must definitely consult a doctor on the same day. This may be one of the signs of a threatened abortion, so you should not self-medicate or resort to expectant tactics. It is necessary to establish the cause of the discharge and start treatment on time.

Drowsiness, periodic lethargy, increased fatigue, mood swings are also normal signs of a developing pregnancy.

During pregnancy, a woman should enjoy her position, and if something bothers you, even if it looks like a trifle to someone, it is better to consult a doctor. They will examine you, conduct the necessary examinations, explain how to behave and what medications to take. Pregnancy is not at all the time when you need to be independent. Always be in touch with your doctor, then nothing will go out of your attention. The pregnancy will go well, and after 40 weeks, your baby will thank you for your care of him with his birth!

Be healthy!

1 week pregnant: signs and symptoms, how to confirm

Getting ready to become a mother? Especially for you, we have prepared a weekly pregnancy calendar. The first week of pregnancy is an important period on which a lot depends in the future, especially if this is your first child and all the sensations are new to you. Although the body does not yet give any specific signals, the future baby is already beginning to take shape. We will tell you how to recognize your position at the beginning of pregnancy.

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Delayed menstruation causes

Intuition tells some women that something global is happening in the body. They are ready to catch the first signs of pregnancy, believing that in the early stages, including at 1 week, everything will be obvious. They immediately predict the sex of the unborn child and choose a name. There are not so many lucky women who can guess their position.

Others do not notice changes in their condition for quite some time. Moreover, the first signs of the birth of a new life can be easily mistaken for the harbingers of menstruation. No matter what your heart whispers, there are certain medical criteria that can answer all questions regarding this magical time. Let's talk about pregnancy at the 1st and the beginning of the 2nd week.

How is the gestational age calculated? There are two approaches to determining the term: obstetric and embryonic. Many women worry about the difference in the dates of the expected birth, announced by the doctor and calculated by them. But their worries are in vain.

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The fact is that obstetric 1 week begins on day 1 of the last menstruation - this is the easiest way to calculate. Doctors all over the world are guided by this method. The same formula is offered by most calculators and calendars on the Internet.

And embryonic is the true term of pregnancy and the very 1st week after conception. But neither a woman nor a gynecologist can accurately determine it. Usually two weeks are added to it, and the obstetric term comes out. Thus, it turns out that the first week of pregnancy is the beginning of the third obstetric week.

So that you can better understand what pregnancy and 1 week is like, we will share some interesting facts about conception.

Spermatozoa can live in a woman's body for up to a week or longer, but they lose their ability to fertilize much earlier.
Conception only occurs within 48 hours of ovulation (when the egg is released from the follicle).
Two spermatozoa cannot fuse with one egg at the same time, but if this happens, this is an anomaly leading to the destruction of the embryo.
The division of a fertilized egg due to accidental destruction of the zygote membrane leads to the development of identical twins. Know that two or more children come from one egg and one sperm.
In some cycles, ovulation occurs more than once and more than one egg is fertilized. Twins are born. So genetics is far from the first place here!

Signs of pregnancy at the 1st week

As you already understood, the first week of an “interesting situation” is a rather arbitrary concept. Pregnancy usually occurs on the 12-14th day of the cycle. Therefore, 40 weeks of pregnancy are counted from the first day of the last menstruation.

At 1 and 2 weeks, the pregnancy itself has not actually occurred yet. Therefore, there are no unusual manifestations or strange sensations at this time. The body is just getting ready for a new important stage in your life. So don't expect 1 week to bring you all the signs of early pregnancy - weakness, nausea and the desire to eat pickles with strawberries. Your stomach will not hurt, like other unpleasant moments you are unlikely to visit. Signals will not appear for at least another two weeks.

Pregnancy symptoms at 1 week

But some of the more sensitive women may experience pregnancy even at 1 week if they experience the following symptoms:

change in taste and sense of smell formation of colostrum
nagging pain in the lower abdomen
frequent urination
sudden changes in mood

In some cases, these signs are similar to the onset of early menstruation, hormonal surges, and sometimes we are talking about the occurrence of diseases. It is not worth trusting these feelings when discussing 1 week of pregnancy on the forums. There is also a psychological factor. Especially for those expectant mothers who carefully plan their pregnancy, keep an ovulation calendar, regularly measure their temperature, and so on.

How to determine pregnancy at 1 week

We readily believe that at 1 week of pregnancy, many people really want to see changes in the mirror and a slightly grown belly. But the embryo is still too small to somehow be reflected in the figure. So far, it's not even a fruit yet.

A baby at the 1st week of pregnancy is called an embryo, and it will become a fetus at the 6th week. The embryo is in a sac with liquid, from which it feeds. Its size does not exceed 0.1 - 0.2 mm. Modern medical technologies sometimes make it possible to detect even such a crumb.

Test

The first and most reliable sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Tests can detect pregnancy already on the first day of delay, but this will most likely not be the 1st week. A few drops of urine are enough to detect hCG, the pregnancy hormone, in your body. If the test shows two stripes, you will soon become a mother. Sometimes the second stripe is barely noticeable. This should also be regarded as a positive result. To remove doubts, do a second test in two or three days.

In order not to get upset ahead of time, remember: at the 1st week of pregnancy, the test most often shows a negative result. This is due to the fact that fertilization often occurs in the middle of the cycle. Not 1 or 2 weeks of pregnancy should pass, but the 3rd should come, so that we can already talk about a delay in menstruation.

hCG

The pregnancy hormone - human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) - is determined by a special blood test. At the very beginning, it can reach 25 to 155 mIU / ml. Before pregnancy, this figure is less than 5. Its level begins to rise immediately after conception. In early pregnancy, from 1 to 3 weeks, the values increase one and a half to two times every two days. And by peak week 11, their number is estimated at several hundred thousand units. After that, the hormone gradually declines.

Keep in mind that if you have a positive hCG result, it is recommended to retake the test after 2-4 days. This is required in order to trace the value over time. For example, if the first value of your analysis is 100 and the second is 400, then you are pregnant, and this indicates that your 1st week of pregnancy is over. And if the first value is 400, and the second is 49, then this may indicate a possible stop in the development of the fetus.

ultrasound

At the 1st week of pregnancy, ultrasound may not be informative at all. Do you remember the size of the embryo? Even the best devices are not able to see it. So it is not yet possible to get the first black and white photo of the baby. During this period, ultrasound is recommended for women who develop an ectopic pregnancy.

There are no definite symptoms of early ectopic pregnancy, in particular at 1 week. Even severe toxicosis, as is commonly assumed on the forums, is not an indicator at all. In any case, a consultation with a specialist who will refer you for an ultrasound scan is required.

Basal temperature

Another indicator of early pregnancy is basal temperature. In order to measure it, insert an ordinary medical thermometer into the rectum to a depth of 3-4 centimeters. You need to do this in the morning without getting out of bed. Just put the thermometer on your bedside table in advance and measure the temperature after you have been at rest for at least 4 hours. Hold the thermometer for 5-7 minutes. On the first day of delay in the presence of pregnancy, the thermometer will show more than 37 degrees.