Pregnancy First Week

Couples who want to have a baby want to know and follow up every issue regarding pregnancy in detail. In this context, it is also wondered what happens in the first week of pregnancy and what kind of developments occur. Since pregnancy symptoms can generally be noticed in the 3rd and 4th weeks of pregnancy, expectant mothers often do not know that they are pregnant in the first week. However, when the next menstrual cycle is delayed or when a doctor checks for pregnancy, it is thought that the pregnancy occurred at the end of the last menstrual period.

What happens in the 1st week of pregnancy?

The week calculated as the first week of pregnancy is actually the woman’s monthly period. In other words, the first week of pregnancy is calculated as the week following the first day of the last menstrual period. However, since technically pregnancy has not occurred yet, in the first week, the egg has been released and is waiting for the sperm that will fertilize it. Fertilization will occur within 14 days following this process. It is not known exactly when the egg in the ovaries is fertilized at the end of the menstrual period. However, since the pregnancy period is calculated as 40 weeks and the baby is born 38 weeks after the egg is fertilized, the week when the egg is not fertilized yet is considered the beginning week of pregnancy. Since the egg has not yet been fertilized in the first week, those planning a pregnancy need to pay attention to their eating, drinking and living conditions and prepare their bodies for pregnancy. When menstruation ends, the egg released from the ovaries will meet the sperm that will fertilize it within 1-2 weeks, and pregnancy will occur in this way.

What changes for the expectant mother in the first week of pregnancy?

In the week when pregnancy begins, that is, when the egg is prepared for fertilization, the expectant mother does not feel any physical or psychological changes. However, expectant mothers who are undergoing infertility treatment and whose fertilization is already being monitored can have information on this subject. Since the baby will be injected into the uterus this week, the expectant mother may experience a very small amount of bleeding. Apart from this, extra fatigue and swollen breasts may also be indicators that fertilization has been successful. During these weeks, emotional ups and downs may occur that those around you may not find very logical. These sudden emotional changes are the product of the woman’s hormonal changes. In addition, unusual fatigue, feeling of fatigue, frequent desire to go to the toilet and sudden increases in body temperature are the side effects of the beginning of pregnancy on the mother.

What should expectant mothers pay attention to in the first week of pregnancy?

If the expectant mother has been on a diet since the moment she learned that pregnancy has begun, she should stop dieting immediately. However, during this period, she should pay 2-3 times more attention to what she eats and drinks than she does under normal circumstances. Because undereating or overeating is harmful during pregnancy. If not started before pregnancy, folic acid intake should be started from the day the pregnancy is learned. If folic acid cannot be used as a pill; Since beef liver, spinach, black-eyed peas, peanuts and orange juice are rich in folic acid, it is recommended to consume these foods. In addition, every expectant mother, including women who are not keen on sports and exercise in their daily lives, should take care to do light exercises regularly every day. Even if no exercise is possible, taking light-paced walks for about half an hour daily will help both the expectant mother and the baby to develop healthily. In addition, if the expectant mother has harmful habits such as smoking and alcohol, she should abandon these habits from the moment she plans the pregnancy and should be careful not to be in environments where smoking is present.