Pregnancy Symptoms Week 2 – What to look for

Pregnancy symptoms Week 2 are usually absent, because you are not pregnant yet. Pregnancy is counted from the first day of your last period, and in a typical cycle an egg is released near the end of week 2. Most women do not notice any pregnancy symptoms in weeks 1 or 2. The pregnancy symptoms week 1 article explains how this counting works.

Any changes you notice in week 2 are part of your normal menstrual cycle, such as signs of ovulation. Pregnancy hormones such as hCG, progesterone and estrogen cause Early pregnancy symptoms only after conception and implantation. Week 2 is counted as part of the first trimester, even though conception has not happened yet.

Pregnancy Test

A pregnancy test will not be positive in week 2, because there is no pregnancy yet. Tests detect hCG, a hormone made after the fertilized egg implants in the uterus.

According to the FDA, in a 28-day cycle hCG can be found in urine 12 to 15 days after ovulation. For the most reliable results, test 1 to 2 weeks after you miss your period.

Do You Need An Ultrasound At 2 Week?

An ultrasound cannot show a pregnancy in week 2. Women having fertility treatment may have scans around this time to track egg follicles and the lining of the uterus. The first pregnancy ultrasound is usually done later in the first trimester to confirm and date the pregnancy.

Pregnancy Symptoms Week 2

In week 2 you may notice signs of ovulation rather than pregnancy. The pregnancy signs below usually appear from week 4 onward, after conception:

1- A missed period

A missed period is often the first clear sign of pregnancy, but it happens around the end of week 4, not week 2. After implantation, hCG keeps the ovary making progesterone, which maintains the lining of the uterus, so no period comes. Ovulation also stops for the rest of the pregnancy, partly because LH hormone is suppressed.

2- Tender & Swollen Breast

Rising estrogen and progesterone prepare the breasts for feeding. They may become larger, swollen and sore to the touch, and the areolas may darken. These changes can also happen before a period, so they do not confirm pregnancy on their own.

3- Nausea or Vomiting

Nausea, with or without vomiting, is very common in early pregnancy. It usually starts during the first month of pregnancy and is linked to rising hormone levels.

4- Frequent Urination

Needing to urinate more often is common in early pregnancy because of hormone changes. Later, the growing baby presses on the bladder, especially at night.

5- Increase Appetite

Some women feel hungrier once pregnant. Extra energy needs are small early on and grow later in pregnancy, especially in the Third trimester, so you do not need to eat for two. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy lowers the risk of neural tube defects.

6- Increase Smell Sensation

A heightened sense of smell is common in early pregnancy, usually after conception rather than in week 2.

7- Abdominal Cramps

Some women feel a twinge of pain on one side when they release an egg (ovulation pain). Mild cramping can also happen later, around implantation.

HP Thoughts: Onward to the third part of our pregnancy series: Pregnancy Symptoms At Week 3.

Sources

• Pregnancy, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
• Fetal development, MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
• Morning sickness, MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine)