2 weeks pregnant

The second week of you pregnancy is quite a busy time for your body. Your uterus is preparing itself for your baby like you would prepare your home if an important guest were coming for a visit, albeit a long visit.

At this time, during the second week, your estrogen levels increase there by sending a message to your uterus to prepare for an upcoming pregnancy. Your uterus will form a lining that is rich in blood so that the egg is able to become implanted and begin to grow the placenta that will nourish your baby. Rising levels of the hormone progesterone prepare the uterus to support a fertilized egg.

While all of this is going on your ovaries begin to ripen eggs in fluid-filled sacs called follicles. During this time you may notice when you are ovulating; you may feel twinges on the either side of your abdomen. Usually this is an indicator of ovulation, along with tenderness of your breasts. It’s time for your ovaries to release an egg. This egg will go through one of your tubes and wait until the father’s sperm fertilizes it after intercourse.

Fertilization

When your eggs are ready for fertilization they are released from the follicles for their journey into your fallopian tubes, where they may meet the sperm of their dreams. The sperm must be able to travel up through your reproductive tract, through your cervical mucus, into your uterus, and through your fallopian tubes to reach your egg.

The sperm must be able to complete the journey within forty-eight hours or the sperm will no longer be viable. If this does not happen and your eggs do not become fertilized during this time your uterus will shed it’s lining of blood. As a result of this you will begin to menstruate and the cycle will begin all over again.

At fertilization, you are officially pregnant. The womb (uterus) is getting thicker now: a perfect place for a little baby that’s just in the embryo stage to snuggle into to get his nutrients, blood, and oxygen. It’s also secreting FSH, a hormone which helps to stimulate the egg’s maturation.

Living healthy

At this point, it is possible that conception has already occurred. So, especially if you’re trying to get pregnant, when in Rome, do as Romans do. That is, act as if you were pregnant by living healthy, and making sure you get rid of the dangerous toxins in your body, like cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and replace them with good nutrients. Make sure you’re getting the folic acid that baby needs to avoid birth defects as well.