Second week of pregnancy: signs and sensations, fetal development, abdominal circumference and changes in a woman's body

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Pregnancy from its first days until childbirth is a bright and wonderful process. Many mothers become interested in what is happening with their body, because a global restructuring begins, what changes are observed, sensations. It is worth having a clear idea of what the normal state is and what you should not be afraid of at first, because in case of any deviations, you should consult a doctor. In this article, we will pay attention to the signs and sensations in the second week of pregnancy. First, let's find out what happens inside the body.

Ovulation

Let's start not with the process of fertilization, which would be logical, but with an even earlier state - ovulation. The entire reproductive life of a woman consists of cycles. The beginning of each of them is marked by the first day of menstruation. At this moment, together with the secretions, the dead layer of the uterus comes out, parallel toThe so-called follicle is formed in the uterus - the place of maturation of the future egg. After about 14 days, the follicle breaks under the influence of pressure and the work of hormones, an egg comes out of it. In a he althy woman, she is ready for fertilization. This phase lasts up to 3 days and is called ovulation.

Fertilization and implantation process

Over the next 14 days (on average), hormones are released and the body prepares for a future pregnancy. If it does not occur, menstruation begins, and conception does not occur. In the event that there are spermatozoa in the body, one of them fertilizes the egg and pregnancy occurs.

Besides fertilization, the second important step is the process of attaching a fertilized egg to the wall of the uterus. At this moment, a check is underway for the compatibility of the body of the expectant mother with the fertilized cell. The process is extremely important, because if any violations and failures occur, a miscarriage will occur and the pregnancy will be terminated naturally.

At the time of fertilization and implantation, pregnancy occurs, which means that a mechanism has been launched that leads to some changes. That is why you may already begin to experience some of the signs and sensations in the second week of pregnancy.

How is the gestational age calculated?

In order to understand what period we are talking about, let's explain what is meant by the second week. Gynecologists traditionally calculate the period of conception from the moment the last menstruation begins, analyzing the approximate cycle of a woman. With such a scheduleit turns out that in the second week the body is actively preparing for pregnancy and "arranges" the environment for its successful course. This approach to calculation is called obstetric.

Taking into account the above, we conclude that it is not worth talking about significant signs of early pregnancy for one or two weeks.

There is also an embryonic approach. To do this, the estimated day of ovulation is calculated, you can calculate it exactly using a special test. Having received the result, we consider that the day of ovulation is the day of pregnancy, we count two weeks and that's it. If we compare these two approaches in time, then the difference between them is about 12 days, in the first case, pregnancy begins earlier than in the second. Although the sensations in the second week of pregnancy are more vivid with the second approach, they are easier to track and analyze.

Initial changes: what are they?

As we said earlier, two weeks for pregnancy is a very short period, especially given the calculation rules, which give an inaccurate and approximate result. But at the same time, the presence of a fertilized egg in the body and the fact of its attachment in the uterus cannot proceed without a trace:

• To begin with, during the implantation period, pains in the lower abdomen may be felt, which just indicate attachment. As a rule, they have a pulling and aching character. Despite the fact that pain in the second week of pregnancy is normal, observe their frequency and strength. Mild discomfortshould not disturb you, there is nothing exciting. Sharp and severe pain is a reason to see a doctor. If your stomach pulls in the second week of pregnancy, then this is an alarming bell. Such pain is dangerous because it can be confused with premenstrual pain if a woman does not know that she is pregnant. In the case of pregnancy, such sensations indicate rejection by the uterine wall of the fetus. Therefore, seek medical attention immediately.
• Small spotting may occur, often brown. It is necessary to control their abundance, color, texture and smell. When contacting a doctor, it is advisable to describe this process in order to exclude possible deviations.
• Swelling of the mammary glands is one of the popular signs of pregnancy, which can also be observed in the absence of conception, before the onset of menstruation. A distinctive feature during pregnancy is the appearance of veins on the chest.
• Mood cycles, as well as the previous symptom, cannot be a direct sign of pregnancy. Although, nevertheless, he is often actively seen - the mood is constantly changing, there is a desire to cry. Attacks of sadness and intentions to feel sorry for yourself are replaced by anger and irritability. Any incidents and life situations cause an emotional upheaval.
• Mild nausea in the early morning hours, which may not appear at all, because 2 weeks is early pregnancy. In addition to nausea, there may be a slight increase in body temperature and weakness, dizziness. It is worth getting more rest and being outdoors.
• Delayed menstruation. Talking about the primacy of this feature is a controversial point. It is decisive only when a woman’s cycle does not go astray, its duration is constant, which means that ovulation occurs at the same time. Often, girls experience failures, and small delays in menstruation do not indicate pregnancy, this may be another shift in the cycle.

If two weeks of pregnancy have already passed, the early signs should be considered together. You do not need to try on the whole complex of symptoms, but at least two or three should characterize the condition of the girl. In this case, you need to think about the issue of pregnancy and take a test.

Additional symptoms

In addition to the above external signs, some changes also occur inside that characterize the gestational age:

• Frequent urination - with the same fluid intake, you want to go to the toilet more and more. This is completely normal and should not be feared. Such a sign will pursue throughout the pregnancy. The urge to empty the bladder will come on suddenly and increase rapidly.
• Low blood pressure. It is worth literally every week to monitor pressure indicators. Their dynamic downward change in combination with other symptoms will indicate the onset of pregnancy.
• Change in sensations, both olfactory and gustatory. Changes in food preferences are noticed, when what has always been liked is now impossible to eat and vice versa. Smellfavorite perfume causes nausea. All these are signs of early pregnancy, from two weeks. This means that toxicosis is setting in.

All these sensations in the second week of pregnancy are caused by the onset of hormonal changes and failures that prepare the body for the long process of bearing the fetus. Adjustments are being made to a woman's usual life that will help her bear a he althy and happy baby.

Will the test show the correct result?

Many are interested in the question of whether the test will show the correct result in the second week of pregnancy? In this matter, the sensitivity of the device is very important. There are a great many of them in the modern world. Most of them have a sensitivity of 25 mIU per ml. Such a test will most likely show a false negative result. In order to see the correct result, it is worth purchasing a test with a sensitivity of 10 mIU per ml. They are more expensive, but at the same time more accurate and true. Studies using these devices show the fact of pregnancy in 7-9 days from the moment of conception.

Please note that it is advisable to do the test in the morning, using the first urine after waking up. In it, the concentration of hCG is higher than during the day. The hormone is primarily formed in the blood and only then is transferred into the urine, so the concentration in the first case is higher and manifests itself much earlier than in the second. Therefore, despite the mobility and practicality of the test, if you are planning a child, it is better to donate blood.in the lab.

How to determine the gestational age more specifically?

During the second week of pregnancy, sensations play a big role, when contacting a doctor and registering, it is necessary to answer the gynecologist's questions in detail and describe the ongoing process. When it comes to such a short period, it is extremely important to more accurately determine the time from the moment of conception. Indeed, at this stage, any negative impact on the mother's body can lead to pathologies of the baby or miscarriage. Let's define the main methods for calculating the exact gestational age:

1. Pregnancy test. As noted earlier, it is worth acquiring higher quality sensitive tests. Some of them, in addition to the result, also indicate the estimated period from the moment of conception. You can also calculate manually, it is enough to conduct research at regular intervals, then it will be possible to calculate the approximate period. After all, most tests respond to hCG levels only in the second week of pregnancy.
2. Building a plan for changes in basal temperature. This method is the most accurate and efficient. To build such a graph, it takes about 3 months to observe a woman's temperature before pregnancy. This method is good for those who have a comprehensive approach to the issue of conception, preparing for pregnancy and taking tests in advance, conducting research.
3. Appeal to the gynecologist in the antenatal clinic. Expectant mothers rarely go to the doctor in the early stages, especially if this is the second pregnancy, 2 weeks seeman insignificant period, you can wait, because nothing terrible happened the first time. Unfortunately, this is a gross mistake, because only a doctor can determine the presence and nature of the threat to the child, as well as determine his age and condition using ultrasound.

Ultrasound in early pregnancy

Research at these times matters if a woman is responsible for conceiving a child or she has problems and cannot conceive. Ultrasound in the second week of pregnancy will not show the child, he is not yet. Having considered the physiological side of the issue earlier, we know that at this time in the body of a girl there is only a fertilized cell. Such a study will not be informative, but it will show the tone of the uterus and its readiness to accept and bear the child. Please note that the timing varies. We are now talking about two weeks since the start of the last menstruation. In this case, we will see a small black dot on the screen - a fertilized cell.

If we consider other approaches to the account: from the moment of the first day of delay or from the estimated time of ovulation, then the ultrasound will be more complete. In this case, an ultrasound in the second week of pregnancy will show a larger cell and even fix the frequency of the nascent heart. But even during this period, you should not expect the silhouette of a baby on the screen.

What happens in a woman's body at this moment? Let's figure it out. Regardless of the approach to calculating the term, about the baby in the second weekPregnancy is still too early to say, not only it is not there, but even the embryo. During this period, an active division of the cell attached to the wall of the uterus occurs in the body. One cell that is fertilized by a sperm cell becomes a small multicellular organism, scientifically called a morula. The nerve column begins to form, which will later turn into the nervous system. Therefore, it is important for the crane to follow all the rules and recommendations of the doctor in the early stages, because right now the foundations are being laid. A developing organism is susceptible to any external changes, it is necessary to lead a correct lifestyle and not worry. In the following days, a heart and other vital organs and tissues will appear - a full-fledged child will appear.

Are there any changes in the volume of the abdomen?

One of the important indicators during pregnancy is the volume of the abdomen, it is measured both during registration at the antenatal clinic and during subsequent visits to the doctor. This indicator allows you to track the growth dynamics of the baby. A sharp increase in volume appears at week 16, and then it grows rapidly. Up to this point, there is no need to constantly measure the circumference, since the embryo is not yet large, which means that the front wall of the abdomen is not delayed. If you look at the girl in the second week of pregnancy (the photo is presented above), then you can understand that no external visible changes have occurred in this place.

Recommendations for expectant mothers

Feeling the first sensations on the secondweek of pregnancy, the expectant mother should reconsider her lifestyle, diet and regimen. We note general recommendations that will be useful to a woman:

1. Balanced diet enriched with vitamins and trace elements. If the period of two weeks fell on the summer period, when there are a lot of berries, fruits and vegetables, that's great. Such a variety will enrich the diet and fill it with fresh vitamins. It is important to eat vegetables, fruits, nuts and meat. You should not eat fatty heavy varieties of meat, it is better to give preference to chicken or duck breast, rabbit. For fish, choose fatty varieties.
2. It is forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages, smoke cigarettes, hookahs and other tobacco mixtures. No matter the level of nicotine content, any kind of smoking is harmful. This also includes passive smoking, if there is a smoker in the family, then it is better for him to give up the addiction.
3. You should avoid negative emotions and events, do not get involved in conflicts, try to watch only good and funny programs. You should not accumulate bad feelings in yourself, because a he althy and happy child should be formed and grow in joy. As the reviews show, in the second week of pregnancy, expectant mothers are a lot nervous, during this period emotions are running high, any event entails a storm of reactions. May this storm be extremely positive.
4. Don't lift heavy things, have your husband or someone help you, as carrying heavy bags regularly can lead to miscarriage.
5. Walk more, it will not only cheer you up, but also improve your he alth. Besides what youyou will breathe fresh air, so also add a little physical activity. As a result, appetite will improve, and the color and condition of the skin will noticeably improve.
6. It is worth starting to drink a complex of vitamins for pregnant women. Even if the diet is correct and balanced, additional vitamins will not hurt anyone.

Recall that the signs of pregnancy and the sensations in the second week are only the first harbingers of the coming process that will take place in the next 9 months. That is why the above recommendations must be followed throughout the entire process of pregnancy and lactation.

Pregnancy and intimate life

Intimacy is the main component of any married couple. We suggest you familiarize yourself with the simple rules that will help your couple to have a child:

• If a couple is planning a baby, then for sure the girl does an ovulation test and, if not exactly, then approximately knows when it comes. Therefore, 2-3 days before its onset, it is advisable to start trying to get pregnant.
• If you don't know your ovulation date, don't use any form of contraception. The egg does not work by the clock, it may mature earlier or later than the due date, this is normal. Therefore, conception can occur at any time.
• After each sexual intercourse, do not rush into the shower, lie down for about 20 minutes so that the spermatozoa get a chance for life and fertilization, moving as far as possible in the woman's body.

These recommendations are relevant at the planning stage, when the period of 2 weeks is calculated from the beginning of the lastmonthly. If a girl is already experiencing some sensations and signs of pregnancy in the second week and her fact is confirmed, the couple decides on the issues of sexual life for herself individually. The main thing - no loads and violent actions. At the time of orgasm, a woman's body releases hormones that cause the uterus to contract. If they are strong and frequent, implantation of the cell may be disrupted and serious harm will be done to the embryo.