First Week of Pregnancy: What to Expect

Pregnancy is an event that not only captivates you as a mother but also fascinates outsiders. A normal pregnancy begins with the first week of pregnancy and normally ends with the 40th. You as an expectant mother should inform yourself well about the pregnancy. Because in each new week, the child continues to develop.

A lot happens in your body during the 1st week of pregnancy – even if you don’t feel it yet.

Pregnancy means responsibility for a new life and at the same time the joy of becoming a mother. It begins purely mathematically when you are actually not yet pregnant. The week after the first day of your last period is the first – the start of the first month of pregnancy. Pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, from the first day of your last period to your due date. The calculation with 40 weeks of pregnancy has proven itself because you can never tell exactly when ovulation has taken place.

In this article, you will learn why the 1st week of pregnancy is considered particularly delicate and why you are not yet officially pregnant.

If the mature egg is fertilized by a sperm, the embryo – as the baby is called during the first three months – makes its way to the uterus.

There it tries to implant. Once it arrives in the uterus, the tiny embryo will consist of about 70 to 100 cells. Most moms usually don’t notice they are pregnant during this week, and nothing can be seen on their abdomen yet.

During fertilization, a lot of hormones are released in your body. This results in a lot of changes that are very important for the pregnancy to continue and for the embryo to develop.

For example, the corpus luteum hormone progesterone is produced, which helps to build up the lining of the uterus.

The path to the uterus

After fertilization of the egg cell, two nuclei are formed. One is the nucleus of the egg cell and contains the genetic material of the mother, the head is formed by the sperm with its genetic material.

They fuse and new life is created. This cell will divide already a while later and turn into several billion cells.

Already on the second day, this cell has grown to four, on the third to eight. Thus, this small cell takes on the appearance of mulberry and is therefore also called the morula.

The mulberry at this stage is now called the germinal vesicle. It consists of two types of cells. One is the embryoblast. From these, the embryo develops. The second cell type, the trophoblasts will develop into the placenta. It is responsible for the supply of nutrients and oxygen.

If the embryo cannot resist interference, it will be expelled during the next period. But if it can withstand, it nests in the lining of the uterus.

It sheds its outer covering and anchors itself very firmly in the uterine lining. The implantation was successful, and the little human can now grow.

Relate: First Trimester of Pregnancy: What to Expect

1st week: Why you are not yet pregnant at this stage

In the 1st week of pregnancy, you are not officially pregnant yet. Your pregnancy begins on the first day of your last period. From then on, the count starts. Calculated according to the lunar calendar – that is 28 days per month.

After the 1st week, the body begins to prepare for a possible pregnancy. At the end of the 2nd week or at the beginning of the 3rd week, ovulation occurs. Now you can be fertilized and if everything goes well, your baby will nest in the uterus in the 4th week.

Since you are not yet pregnant during this week, your body will go through its usual routine. You will have your period.

Even if it sounds a bit disappointing at first – your body is creating the first conditions for a possible pregnancy.

In the 2nd week of pregnancy, your mature egg must be fertilized. You are particularly fertile immediately before and after ovulation. The period is 12-24 hours. Sperm can survive in your body for up to 5 days. Therefore, there is a good chance that they can also meet an egg and fertilize it.

In this section, you will learn how you can now create optimal conditions for your pregnancy.

Folic acid in the 1st week

Above all, you should make sure that you cover your folic acid requirements during the 1st week of pregnancy.

Folic acid consists of vitamins B9 and B11 and is found in meat, fish, and many vegetables and fruits. You now need 0.4 milligrams daily.

As soon as pregnancy begins, your body needs additional folic acid for the baby. The daily requirement increases to 0.8 milligrams during the first months. Folic acid is very important for the embryonic development of the brain and nervous system. If the requirement is not met, disorders can occur.

For the embryo to develop well, it needs folic acid. Women who wish to have children should take a daily dose of 0.4 milligrams even before pregnancy. In most cases, this requirement can be met by a healthy and balanced diet.

Folic acid preparations are also available. During pregnancy and especially in the first three months, the daily requirement increases to 0.8 mg.

Folic acid is important for the development of the brain and nerves. Most expectant mothers take folic acid supplements because it is difficult to cover the requirement through the diet.

Prohibitions during pregnancy

Alcohol and nicotine are taboo during pregnancy. Already from the first week, you should do without these harmful substances. This prevents them from reaching the germ cells in the first place and thus does not reduce the chance of a possible pregnancy.

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy can cause fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) in your unborn baby and damage your child for life.

In addition to possible damage, it can lead to growth disorders, facial changes, and abnormalities of the central nervous system.

Medication during pregnancy is an important topic for every pregnant woman: some preparations are helpful and necessary, while others can impair the healthy development of your baby.

If possible, you should not take any medicines at all during pregnancy – not even over-the-counter medicines. The active ingredients can reach your baby through the blood. With some drugs, this can have serious consequences, as they have been proven to have harmful effects. For many medicines, the effects on pregnancy are not yet known.

Medicines that are medically necessary and that you have to take are exempt from the recommended medication waiver. For example, due to a chronic or mental illness such as asthma, diabetes, or depression. Accordingly, you should talk to your doctor after you become aware of your pregnancy or if you wish to have a child. When it comes to medication during pregnancy, the general rule is as little as possible and as much as absolutely necessary.

Even for trivial complaints – such as headaches – you should not simply reach into your medicine cabinet, but seek professional advice: Your gynecologist knows best whether and which medications may be used during pregnancy.

Important facts about the First Week

What you should know

You’ve probably heard of the typical pregnancy symptoms – nausea, vomiting, or dizziness. But do you already notice something of a pregnancy in the first week?

Typical symptoms that occur during pregnancy are morning sickness, pulling of the breasts, fatigue, and also constipation. As soon as the embryo has implanted, the progesterone released in the body slows down all bodily functions.

This is to protect the embryo and prevent the mother from overdoing it and having a miscarriage as a result.

The body now adjusts to the pregnancy and the hormones go crazy. It is also typical that women feel overjoyed one minute and sad the next. The first three months are considered the riskiest months of pregnancy. It is not until after the 12th week of pregnancy that the risk of miscarriage is minimized.

Most pregnancy symptoms subside by the fourth month of pregnancy. After that, many pregnant women feel really well again and start to enjoy their pregnancy. If you are dependent on medication, you should talk to your doctor about your desire to have a child. In most cases, it can help to change the medication to increase the chance of pregnancy.

Take care of yourself and lead a healthy lifestyle to increase your chances of getting pregnant.

With a healthy diet, you can already prepare yourself ideally for pregnancy. This way you increase your fertility and can optimally support your body.

To increase the chance of pregnancy, pay attention to a healthy and balanced diet and avoid alcohol and nicotine. In addition, you should try to avoid stress as much as possible. Sometimes it can take a while until you finally get pregnant. However, you should not put yourself under pressure.