2nd week fetal development

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor II Tran Thi Mai Huong - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

The second week is also when the mother's body is actively preparing for ovulation. At this time, the baby has not yet been formed, but certain changes have been made and the mother should also keep a good mood to enjoy the upcoming joy.

At this week, the fetus has not yet formed because the egg will be fertilized near the end of the second week of pregnancy. At this time, the pregnant mother's body is actively preparing for pregnancy and it is considered an important first step for the development of the baby later.
In the days before that, an increase in estrogen and progesterone causes the lining of the uterus to thicken, forming a lush, blood-rich membrane that helps support the implantation of the embryo. At the same time in the ovaries, eggs have matured in fluid-filled sacs called follicles.
Ovulation doesn't have to happen right in the middle of your cycle. You will probably ovulate anytime between days 9-21 of your 28-day cycle.
In the next 24 hours, an egg will be fertilized if one of the nearly 250 million ejaculated sperm is able to swim from the vagina to the cervix, through the uterus into the fallopian tubes, and into the egg. About 400 sperm can survive the 10-hour journey to the egg, but usually only one successfully makes it into the egg.
Over the next 10 to 30 hours, the nucleus of the sperm fuses with the egg and they combine the genetic information. If the sperm carries a Y chromosome, your baby will be a boy. If it's an X chromosome, you'll have a girl. The fertilized egg is called a zygote.
Eggs take about three or four days to travel from your fallopian tubes to your uterus, dividing into 100 or more identical cells along the way. Once it enters the uterus, it will be called a blastocyst. A day or two later, it will begin to burrow into the lining of the uterus and "nest" there, continuing its wonderful process of growth and transformation. At this point, the baby is just a tiny dot, so we can't see it with the naked eye.

You can completely detect that you are 2 weeks pregnant through the following signs:
Body temperature increases: your body temperature at the beginning of pregnancy will increase slightly by 37.5 degrees due to the secretion of many hormones progesterone. Increase breast size: the levels of hormones in the body change rapidly after fertilization takes place. The milk glands begin to work actively to prepare for the coming days of motherhood, pregnant women may feel their breasts are tight and burning. Fatigue: During this time, your body is working hard to provide the necessary nutrients for the growing and developing fetus, so fatigue will take place. This is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy that many people inadvertently overlook. Headache: This condition occurs because the blood supply to the brain decreases to supply the embryo. In addition, the sudden increase in the hormone progesterone makes pregnant women more prone to headaches. In case of headaches during pregnancy, instead of taking medicine on your own, you should see your doctor for advice. Because the side effects of the drug can affect the health of the fetus in the womb. Nausea, or vomiting: this is a sign of morning sickness during pregnancy. It usually occurs during the first 3 months of pregnancy, however, some people may experience morning sickness for the rest of the pregnancy. Morning sickness makes pregnant women feel tired, lose their appetite, often have nausea and vomiting at any time of the day, especially in the morning. Pregnancy blood and vaginal discharge: a few days after sex, you notice a little light pink or dark brown blood on the bottom of your underwear. This is the blood that announces pregnancy, not "coming day" as some women often think. Pregnancy blood is a signal that the egg has successfully "implanted" in the uterus. In addition, some women also secrete a lot of white, thick discharge in the private area. However, if these discharges change to an unusual color such as yellow, green and accompanied by a foul odor, you should see a gynecologist immediately. Late period: this is considered one of the earliest signs of pregnancy that you can easily recognize. Double-line pregnancy test: when the body shows HCG hormone - the hormone only found in pregnant women, the pregnancy test will show two lines, which means you are pregnant. To get highly accurate results, you should take a pregnancy test about 7-14 days after sex.

Pregnancy ultrasound is the most optimal and most accurate method to determine whether you are pregnant or not. However, the 2nd week of pregnancy is only ovulation and there is no evidence to be sure that you have conceived. During this time, the egg meets the sperm but has not yet "implanted" in the uterus, but is only in the process of moving. If the ultrasound is performed at this time, the results may not be accurate, because the size of the fetus is not clear even when using transducer ultrasound. It is best to wait a few more weeks before having your first ultrasound, the ideal time to do it is 7-10 weeks pregnant.

The first thing to have a healthy pregnancy is to always keep a relaxed, stress-free mind. Because stress or anger can disrupt the menstrual cycle and significantly affect the ovulation process. To help put your mind at ease, you should join yoga classes, or practice meditation, go for a walk every now and then, or read a few pages of a book. A healthy body, full of energy will be a good start for the following months of motherhood.
In the first weeks of pregnancy, you should supplement with multivitamins, especially folic acid supplements to enhance health as well as ensure the development of your baby. In your daily meal, you can get folic acid through foods such as green vegetables, bread, legumes and whole grains. Folic acid is an important factor contributing to the prevention of dangerous diseases for the fetus such as congenital heart defects, neural tube defects and preventing premature birth. In addition, you should avoid consuming uncooked foods such as rare meat, poached eggs, sashimi, ..
If you are planning to or are using drugs not prescribed by a doctor. You should boldly give them up, because the side effects of the drug can be harmful to your baby's health. Painkillers are not safe for pregnant women and they can stay in the body for several days. This also reduces your chances of conceiving. If you want to use any medicine, you should consult your doctor to consider whether to use them or not.
This is also the right time for you to start giving up the habit of smoking and using stimulants like alcohol. These substances are extremely harmful to the health of both mother and baby. They increase the risk of miscarriage and cause birth defects in the fetus. Many babies whose mothers drink alcohol are at increased risk of fetal alcohol syndrome, breathing problems, or low birth weight. If you are someone who has a hard time quitting smoking or drinking, you should see your doctor for help.
Vinmec International General Hospital applies all-inclusive maternity health care packages with outstanding quality. Pregnant women are accompanied by experienced obstetricians and gynecologists at Vinmec throughout the process during pregnancy - labor - postpartum. Maternity packages at Vinmec International General Hospital include:
Maternity package 12 weeks Maternity package 27 weeks Maternity package 36 weeks Maternity package pregnancy - labor Doctor Tran Thi Mai Huong has 25 years of experience in examination and treatment in the field of Obstetrics and Gynecology, lower tract surgery, laparoscopic surgery. Holds the position of Deputy Head of School of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Deputy Head of Delivery Department - Hai Phong Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. Having high expertise and strength in the field of:
Lower tract surgery Laparoscopic surgery Difficult obstetric surgery

Reference source: Webmd.com; Babycenter.com