R for Rabbit’s Comprehensive Guide to Understand First Week Pregnancy Symptoms

Do you lately feel nauseous, tired or witness unpredictable mood swings?

Chances are that you might be pregnant or maybe not!

The premenstrual symptoms and first week pregnancy symptoms appear a little similar, leading to confusion.

This is also because the pregnancy is counted from the last day of your previous menstrual cycle and not the date of conception which leads to excessive uncertainty.

Missed periods is one of the most early signs of pregnancy. This is then followed by a range of symptoms including many mental, emotional and physical changes due to the release of hormones.

These huge alterations are due to the maximum release of progesterone and estrogen hormones during pregnancy.

Do you want to check if you are pregnant?

If yes! You can use an R for Rabbit’s online pregnancy test tool before proceeding further.

Let us now dive deeper into this first week pregnancy guide to understand the start of one of the most beautiful moments in your life!

Understanding Week 1 of Pregnancy

To understand this, let us first understand some basic terminologies:

• Menstrual cycle: A 28 days period where a female body prepares itself to conceive.
• Ovulation: The release of a mature egg into the fallopian tube on the 14th day.
• Fertilization: The fusion of sperm into the egg.
• Zygote: The final product of the sperm and egg integration.
• Implantation: The successful attachment of zygote to the uterus.

Why are first week symptoms misleading?

Sometimes, despite witnessing certain pregnancy symptoms, it might prove to be a false pregnancy due to various reasons like:

• Miscalculating the conception date.
• Body still in process of conception.
• Hormonal changes occur every month in women, leading to similar symptoms.
• Pregnancy signs might be sometimes visible after the first week of conception.

At times, in case ovulation occurs on the exact 14th day but conception happens a little later, this means you are in your first week of pregnancy, even if it is not detected positive in the test.

Common Misconceptions About Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Early pregnancy symptoms might either lead to overlapping with the premenstrual symptoms or might be so mild to become unnoticeable.

To get a clear view, let us understand the symptoms of each one by one.

• Time period: After ovulation, the menstrual cycle results in periods, in case of no conception after 28 to 31 days whereas in case there occurs a conception, the first step towards pregnancy is established.
• Blood flow: Menstruation leads to a heavy blood flow for around 3 to 5 days with the color of the blood ranging from bright red to dark red. In case of implantation or pregnancy, a sign of blood spotting is visible for one or two days with the color of the blood ranging from pink to brown.
• Cramps: These can be easily differentiated as there is excruciating pain in the lower portion of the female body from lower back, thighs to legs in case of menstruation. In case of pregnancy, the cramps are mild with slight stretching and pulling sensations.
• Hormones: Although, the release of progesterone and estrogen hormones is a precursor for menstruation but in case of pregnancy, there is one additional unique hormone which is secreted called Human chorionic gonadotropin(hCG). This hormone is released by placenta and is an indication of successful implantation.

Apart from these major differences, there might also be some similar symptoms like bloating, fatigue, mood swings, breast tenderness, food aversions etc.

All these indicate that despite being different situations, the underlying symptoms for both menstruation and pregnancy are almost similar and need minute observation.

What Happens During the First Week of Pregnancy

This marks a challenging time for the ones who aren’t sure of their conception.

The early signs of pregnancy might lead to many physiological, psychological and emotional changes.

Although these changes might be invisible, they slowly transform the entire female body, making the mother’s body ready to function for two.

The internal process can be easily understood by the acronym - MOFZI

M - It starts with a 28 days menstrual cycle that is counted from the last menstrual period.

O - During these 28 days, follicles develop due to activation of female hormones. This leads to the release of a mature egg into the fallopian tube on the 14th day, awaiting its fusion with the sperm. The sperms have a shelf life of 5 days inside the uterus.

F - After ovulation, the egg awaits its fusion with a sperm, which might occur either on the day of ovulation or later, depending upon the presence of sperms in the uterus. This is called fertilization.

Z - A zygote is formed as a result of fertilization which is a single cell containing all the possible genetic material of both the sperm and the egg.

This zygote is later divided into two or more parts, followed by its movement towards the uterus which is done in around 3 to 4 days.

After around five days, this zygote transforms into blastocyst that consists of two parts:

• Inner Cell: This forms the embryo.
• Outer cell: This forms the placenta which is responsible to provide the required nourishment to the embryo for nine months.

I - After this, the final process implantation takes place by the release of certain enzymes to support its attachment to the uterine wall. This is followed by a little blood spotting after 6 to 12 days, indicating pregnancy.

Did you know: The light blood spotting is aligned in sync with your missed periods. This helps in easy pregnancy confirmation, in case you are sure it is positive!

So much indeed happens in those 28 days of menstrual cycle. A female body is prepared to hold a growing baby inside her within this duration.

Possible Early Indicators (Though Rare or Subtle)

With so much happening inside the body, it is certain to feel a little turmoil in your outer space. Hence, very early signs of pregnancy, that is during the first week include:

1. Light blood spotting

This is the result of successful implantation. This might also be accompanied with slight cramps in the lower abdomen.

2. Nausea

This is a result of hormonal shifts inside the female body, triggering the increase of hCG, progesterone and estrogen levels.

The progesterone hormone is known to slow down the digestion process and thus, metabolism to meet the required energy by the growing fetus.This may lead to fatigue.

This slow digestion may sometimes also cause bloating, feeling of fullness and acidity, thus enhancing nausea and vomiting sensations. It sometimes might also lead to heartburn and constipation.

Tips for relief:

• Eat small, frequent meals.
• Ensure to have something light and nutritious as soon as you wake up like soaked dry fruits, a smoothie etc.
• Keep yourself well hydrated.
• Avoid smells and flavors that are strong.
• Consumption of ginger tea helps in alleviating nauseousness.

Also Read: 10 Fiber Rich Foods for Pregnancy Constipation Relief

3. Breast tenderness

The release of pregnancy hormones induces the increase of blood flow and breast tissue alteration. This change causes breast tenderness and soreness. It causes areolas to appear darker and the veins to appear blue, thus preparing the breasts for baby food.

Tips for relief:

• Wear a well-supported bra for comfort.
• Use a heat pad or ice pack to alleviate the tenderness.
• Use light circular massage with warm oil or warm palms by rubbing them together.
• Keep yourself well hydrated and limit the consumption of caffeine and salt.

4. Frequent urination

To support pregnancy, the hCG and progesterone hormones increase the load on kidney functioning, thus flus and relaxes the bladder respectively, thus increasing the need to pee often.

Tips for relief:

• Limit the consumption of excessive water before bed.
• Practice pelvic floor exercises to strengthen that area.
• Include a nutrition-rich and hydrating diet to avoid irritation during peeing.

5. Breathlessness

Pregnancy causes the demand to increase the lung capacity to carry more oxygen to the body by filtering out the harmful toxins from the inhaled air. This demands the need to inhale and exhale more, thus leading to short breathlessness.

Tips for relief:

• Practice deep breathing to strengthen the lungs.
• Keep your upper body elevated by using a pillow.
• Use oils like peppermint, eucalyptus, tea tree oil etc. for inhaling, during bath or through a diffuser.
• Stay well hydrated as that helps in thinning down the mucous.
• Wear loose breathable fabric.

6. Headache

There are various reasons for headache during pregnancy due to:

• Alterations of serotonin and dopamine hormones are a consequence of release of estrogen hormone.
• Change in the neurotransmitter levels in the brain.
• Dehydration
• The increased demand of blood volume pressurizes the blood vessels.

In short, anything causing fluctuations in the normal functioning of the system causes headache.

Tips for relief:

• Ensure proper rest and sleep schedule.
• Keep yourself well hydrated.
• Practice deep breathing and meditation.
• Limit the intake of caffeine.
• Consumption of ginger tea and chamomile tea helps in soothing.

Also Read: How to Sleep Better at Night During Pregnancy?

7. Nasal Congestion

This may be due to hormonal changes causing inflammation of mucous membrane, increased blood flow that might lead to nasal swelling and heightened sensitivity that triggers allergic nasal reactions.

Tips for relief:

• Use steam inhalation.
• Apply warm compresses over nose, chest and forehead.
• Keep your head elevated to avoid congestion, especially during night sleep.
• Peppermint or Eucalyptus inhalers can help.
• Steer clear of irritants like smoke, strong odors etc.

All these are one of the most prominent early signs of pregnancy.

Psychological and Behavioral Changes

Besides above mentioned physiological changes, first week pregnancy symptoms also cause many psychological and behavioral alterations as well. These include:

1. Mood swings

The hormonal release might end up causing many mood swings like feeling happy at one moment and sad at the other, feeling anxious and then excited and so on.

Tips for relief:

• Practice meditation, yoga and deep breathing for mind regulation.
• Maintain a pregnancy journal to understand your pregnancy journey.
• Spend maximum time in nature.
• Have a routine in your daily activities to beat surprises to your senses.

Also Read: How to Deal with Mood Swings During Pregnancy?

2. Sensitivity to smell

The release of pregnancy hormones leads to slowing down the bodily functions and sensitizing the olfactory system, triggering sensitivity to smell.

Tips for relief:

• Use mild fragrances and avoid coming in contact with strong smells to avoid headache.
• Ensure good ventilation where you are seated.
• Use soothing essential oils to enhance the feeling of freshness. Lavender and lemon are considered the best.
• Avoid the feeling of fullness to prevent odor irritation.

3. Metallic taste

This is the result of heightened sensitivity of the olfactory system, caused by hormonal changes. Sometimes, deficiency of certain nutrients like iron, zinc etc., also lead to metallic taste.

Did you know: During pregnancy the saliva production increases to maintain hydration. This might also contribute to the metallic taste.

Tips for relief:

• Consume citrus fruits that help beat the metallic taste.
• Chew sugar-free mints or minted candies or chocolates.
• Consumption of spices and herbs like ginger, garlic, mint etc., induces a non-metallic flavor.
• Ensure to brush your teeth twice a day to promote taste enrichment and to prevent dental problems during pregnancy.

4. Food aversions or cravings

Pregnancy time would be full of food aversions and cravings. Sometimes, this might also be weird leading to craving for inedible items like chalk, paper etc. This indicates a deficiency of certain nutrients in the body.

Did you know: The weird food craving like an urge to eat chalk, dirt, paper etc., is known as pica.

Tips for relief:

• Maintain a diary to keep a track of your food aversions and cravings.
• Incorporate mild flavors and mild smells in your diet.
• Have small meals to alleviate nauseousness.
• Consume herbal teas and fluids to maintain hydration and reduce nauseousness.

These are some psychological and behavioral alterations, indicating early pregnancy symptoms.

When to Take a Pregnancy Test

Witnessing first week pregnancy symptoms can sometimes trigger mixed emotions due to a roller coaster of physiological, psychological, and emotional changes.

During this time, it is mandatory to monitor the timing for taking the test to receive real results.

Testing too early

This might lead to a negative result because:

• The hCG hormone which is detected during the pregnancy test is not produced until the implantation. Therefore, taking the test by considering the conception date would not help.
• The early signs of pregnancy may sometimes appear even before the missed out period date which might lead to missing out on those obvious signs.

Best time for testing

The most optimum time to test for pregnancy are:

• After your missed period as it would ensure sufficient amounts of hCG hormone already produced into your system.
• It is always advisable to wait for a week after the date of conception or missed out period to increase your chances to obtain the right result.
• The first urine after you wake up is very concentrated due to which it is always recommended to take a test in the morning. This ensures high levels of hCG detection, if present.

Preparing for Pregnancy Confirmation

The early pregnancy symptoms might sometimes get delayed, thus missing out on essential to-do activities in case you are really pregnant.

This indicates incorporating certain lifestyle alterations before receiving a “positive” in your test to ensure your timely progress in the pregnancy journey.

Some of the important things to be aware during a doubtful pregnancy too include:

1. Lifestyle adjustments: This involves adapting to a healthier lifestyle, by cutting out on smoking or drinking, regular light exercises, practicing mindful exercises like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, limiting caffeine and indulging in regular health check-ups to resolve any kinds of red flags beforehand.
2. Diet and supplements: This includes the following:

• Intake a healthy balanced diet and limit the consumption of junk food.
• Consumption of folic acid, iron, calcium, zinc etc., is essential during the initial phase of pregnancy.
• Stay well hydrated to support the body preparing for pregnancy.

Although, integrating these might assist your initial pregnancy journey but it is always advisable to consult a healthcare professional, as and when required.

Conclusion

The first week of pregnancy symptoms might or might not occur at the right estimated timing due to a little delay in the process of implantation.

However, keeping a track of some abnormal feelings or symptoms might help you analyze your situation.

Also, if it is positive! Then, be patient and aware about the upcoming beautiful changes to undergo one of the most blessed journeys of your lifetime!

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