Pregnancy is a 40 week journey. Depending on the different weeks of pregnancy, many changes take place. Pregnancy symptoms at week 2, for example, may vary widely from symptoms at 4 weeks.
Firstly, how does one determine how to calculate the weeks?
Well, your OBGYN will take a detailed medical history if the labs hint towards pregnancy, and will ask about your last menstrual period. They will order an ultrasound for you to confirm.
Why is the last period date important? The day of your last period determines your estimated due date.
ALSO READ: Common pregnancy symptoms at 9 Weeks
What are the changes that your body will go through during the 2nd week of pregnancy?
In the second week, the lining of your uterus is maturing and getting thicker to acknowledge and welcome fetal development. Toward the week’s end, ovulation will happen as your ovary will release an egg into your fallopian tubes.
After ovulation, an egg can stay viable for 12 to 24 hours. However, it is not necessary to have intercourse on the same day of ovulation. You must keep track of your ovulation period. As sperm can stay viable for almost five days in fruitful cervical mucus, you can have sexual intercourse during the whole week 2 regardless of specific timing. When the egg is released, sperm is present to fertilize the egg.
Although only one sperm is required to fertilize the egg, not each sperm survives. Almost millions of sperm go towards the egg but only the most viable one can fertilize it. This process is called fertilization.
Pregnancy Symptoms at week 2
A normal menstrual cycle is 28-days. On approximately the 14th day of the cycle, a woman ovulates. The pregnancy symptoms experienced during your 2nd week are not pregnancy symptoms like the early pregnancy symptoms, for example, morning sickness, etc. They are most likely symptoms of ovulation.
Here are five of the symptoms that you are likely to experience at week 2.
Am I pregnant? Week 2
- Cervical and uterine changes
During the period of ovulation, the cervix starts to prepare itself for fertilization. It becomes soft, high, and opens slightly. Even the cervical mucus changes from a thick consistency to a thin, watery, and egg-white consistency. This consistency helps the sperm remain viable even if you have had sex a few days before you ovulate.
The lining of your uterus also becomes thicker as the hormones prepare for the ultimate implantation of the fertilized egg.
- Heightened sex drive
During the period of ovulation, your body’s hormones boost your sexual drive naturally. This is nature’s way of telling you to prepare for fertilization.
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- Salivary changes
With the increase in estrogen during ovulation, some salivary changes occur. You might be surprised to know that if you look at the dried saliva of an ovulating woman under a microscope, it will show a fern-like pattern. Normal saliva shows dots and lines.
- Ovulation pain
Our bodies go through a lot during each cycle. Around ovulation many women experience “Mittelschmerz”, which is a fancy word that describes lower abdominal pain specifically related to ovulation. Not every woman experiences it, but some do, and it does not necessarily happen every month.
- A small rise in basal body temperature
Basal body temperature is your body’s temperature when you are at ease. During ovulation, there is a small rise in basal body temperature. Before ovulation, your basal body temperature dips a bit, and then after 24 hours of ovulation, rises and stays like that for a few days.
5 Tips for self-care and successful pregnancy
Conceiving is exciting and brings a lot of joy. But stressing over it, and making intimacy a job becomes tiring. Therefore self-care is really important. These are the things you should do to keep the process of getting pregnant fun and relaxed.
- Stay away from stress
Try to enjoy yourself, stay mentally positive, and have an optimistic mindset.
- Take care of your physical health
Maintain a healthy weight. Eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly. Hydrate yourself and get enough sleep. Being physically fit is very important while trying to conceive.
- Take prenatal vitamins
Consult your OBGYN while trying to get pregnant. They might suggest you take prenatal vitamins. These vitamins reduce the health problems related to pregnancy and are also beneficial for your unborn child.
- Keep your partner included in the process
Keeping your partner included and well informed will help make the whole process feel easier. You will feel morally supported and will keep intimacy alive as well.
- Have a home pregnancy test at hand
When you feel like you have missed your period, take a home pregnancy test to check whether your suspicions are correct or not. Confirming the pregnancy is not difficult. You have to get your beta-HCG levels checked and get an ultrasound to confirm that you are indeed pregnant.
Conclusion
During the 2nd week, make sure that you monitor the natural signs of your body and prepare for fertilization. You should eat healthily, monitor your weight, stress levels, and hormones as well. Be prepared for the ovulation period in advance. Invest in ovulation kits that monitor your LH levels so that you know the ideal time for intercourse. Keep your partner involved throughout the process. Visit your OBGYN for a comprehensive check-up before deciding to conceive. Finally, do not fret over how long it will take . Hopefully, it will happen sooner than you expect and you will be experiencing pregnancy symptoms at week 2.
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