Pregnancy and the Weeks of Development: Weeks One through Three
Week by Week of Pregnancy
During the first three weeks of your pregnancy, you will not know you are pregnant. The first two weeks of pregnancy a women is not actually pregnant. This is a time when women prepare their body for a planned pregnancy by stopping all alcohol and tobacco consumption as well as stopping any medications.
When planning a pregnancy, a woman must accurately calculate the expected date of conception. This is done by counting 14 days from the first day of your last period. If you have a five day cycle, for example, you will count those five days plus nine additional days. This will determine the period of conception, which generally lasts three days.
After ejaculation, millions of sperm travel through the vagina to the egg where one lucky sperm will break through the outer layer of the egg thus initiating conception. The first day of pregnancy is considered the last day of your period; meaning the date of conception actually occurs when you are two weeks pregnant (if that makes sense)
What You Should Do at This Point in Your Pregnancy:
- Stop smoking
- Stop any birth control
- Consult with a doctor about your medication and pregnancy
- Cut back on caffeine
- Eat a well-balanced diet
- Stop alcohol consumption
- Begin saving money for time off work (if needed)
