2 weeks pregnant

How is your baby developing at 2 weeks?

Conception is still not quite on the cards – at least not at the start of the week – but this is the week when the egg that becomes your baby reaches maturity, ready for fertilisation. It will be inside a small fluid-filled cyst known as a follicle, inside one of two ovaries. A group of eggs will be stimulated to start growing, but normally only one of these will become mature enough to be fertilised. In the case of fraternal twins, two eggs reach maturity and are each fertilised by a separate sperm.

How are you changing in week 2?

Your body will be releasing follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), a chemical that triggers the group of immature eggs inside the follicles to start maturing. One of these follicles usually becomes more dominant and supresses the growth of the others. They stop growing and their eggs degenerate, but the dominant follicle ruptures, releasing a mature egg from the ovary – this is ovulation. It normally happens about 10 to 16 days before the start of your next menstrual cycle, so ovulation can occur at the end of week 2 or in week 3.

When the follicle ruptures, it forms into a structure known as the corpus luteum, which then releases two hormones: progesterone and oestrogen. The progesterone thickens the lining of the uterus to prepare it for supporting an unborn baby.

What you need to know in week 2

Having unprotected sexual intercourse as close as possible to ovulation gives you the best chances of conception. A mature egg lives for only 12–24 hours after being released from the ovary, but sperm can live for up to 7 days inside a woman's body. This means conception can occur with sperm that has been inside your body for a few days before you ovulate.

Many women notice changes to their body around when they ovulate. Your vaginal discharge may become clear, thinner and slippery, and some women also have abdominal pain when they ovulate. If you keep a record of your body temperature, you'll notice a drop right before ovulation and see a rise when ovulation occurs. If you are not sure when you ovulate, have sexual intercourse every 2 or 3 days throughout the month for the best chances of conception.

Don't be disheartened if you don't conceive the first time round – about 90% of women under 35 years old will conceive naturally within a year of having regular unprotected sex.

Next: 3 weeks pregnant

Additional pregnancy week by week pages:
4 weeks pregnant |  5 weeks pregnant |  6 weeks pregnant |  7 weeks pregnant