Does the third week of pregnancy mean that the doctor can detect it and you can see something on the ultrasound pictures? Or maybe it is worth doing a vaginal ultrasound then? Does abdominal pain indicate 3 weeks of pregnancy or are there symptoms different from before?
It is still a long way to be sure and finally confirmed, but the third week is the time when pregnancy with high probability is slowly becoming a reality. Observation of vaginal mucus may be helpful, or you can obtain a pregnancy test.
Third Week of Pregnancy: The Real Beginning
For simplicity, early pregnancy is counted from the beginning of the last menstrual period. Only later is the actual gestational age confirmed or corrected based on a first-trimester ultrasound. Ovulation begins approximately 7-21 days after the onset of bleeding. The third week of pregnancy is therefore the time of conception or a few days after.
Fertilization is the union of male and female reproductive cells. It occurs when the egg released during ovulation travels from the ovary to the fallopian tube, where it is reached by the fastest and most powerful sperm. Penetrating the egg's cell membrane, it enters the ovary and begins the division of the fertilized cell, the zygote. This cell, transforming into a morula, moves from the fallopian tube to the uterus. Fertilization is the beginning of the pre-embryonic period, which lasts approximately seven days – the initial stage of pregnancy, at the end of which the fetal egg, or embryo, implants in the uterine wall . It measures approximately 0,02 mm.
Can the third week of pregnancy be detected by the test?
Women often ask questions on the forum about the earliest pregnancy detection and whether a doctor can detect it faster than a test from a pharmacy. Standard pharmacy pregnancy tests detect pregnancy 10-21 days after conception. An accurate laboratory test can be performed approximately seven days after conception. This means that the third week of pregnancy is the boundary between the time when a test is pointless (because it certainly won't detect pregnancy) and the moment when it can be performed.
From the moment the fertilized egg implants in the uterine lining, HcG (human chorionic gonadotropin) levels begin to increase . This hormone's levels indicate pregnancy. Approximately one week after fertilization, levels reach a level that can be detected by some tests.
It's still very early, though, so for added certainty, it's worth repeating the test in a week. It's possible that a pregnancy test at this stage won't show anything, even though you're pregnant.
3rd week of pregnancy, i.e. various symptoms
Symptoms observed in the third week of pregnancy may vary depending on:
- age,
- health,
- individual predispositions.
Ovulation in the third week of pregnancy may cause some women to experience unpleasant sensations around one of the ovaries or abdominal pain . Other possible symptoms in the third week of pregnancy include increased breast tenderness or drowsiness.
During implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus, very light spotting may or may not occur—a few drops of blood, sometimes with darker mucus . This occurs when the uterine wall is breached during implantation. This is not a worrying symptom at 3 weeks of pregnancy. Other early pregnancy symptoms, such as nausea, sudden fatigue, mood swings, or irritability, although sometimes mentioned on internet forums, are rather rare at this stage.
Does a woman's body change in the third week?
Regardless of the symptoms, it is impossible to notice your body shape in the third week of pregnancy. The belly looks like it did before. In the third week, the breasts won't be any more swollen than they usually do during ovulation. The condition of the skin and hair will not change either.
Women who track ovulation may notice additional pregnancy symptoms in the third week . The cervical mucus is thin and colorless , allowing for the most successful fertilization. Body temperature may rise slightly.
3rd week of pregnancy: why an ultrasound?
In the third week of pregnancy, an ultrasound can be performed, but not to be seen on a monitor. If fertilization has already occurred, only under a microscope would it be possible to see the cells dividing, which then take the shape of a mulberry or raspberry. Hence the name morula at this stage, from the Latin morus , meaning mulberry.
What else is worth knowing about the development of pregnancy and ultrasound in the third week of pregnancy?
- The ultrasound examination in the third week allows you to determine the phase of the cycleby the way, you can also discuss with your doctor about future tests, e.g. for HIV or toxoplasmosis, which are recommended for all pregnant women.
- In the 3rd week of pregnancy previously ordered vaginal ultrasound can be performed. This will allow for a thorough examination of the ovaries to exclude tumors or cysts, as well as to determine the location and size of the uterus, exclude any changes (e.g. fibroids), assess the cervix and check the thickness of the endometrium (the lining of the uterus).
- By assessing the size of the Graff's follicle on ultrasound images, the doctor is able to determine the stage of the cycle.
- Ladies who are wondering whether the doctor will detect the third week of pregnancy during a vaginal ultrasound must accept the fact that it is too early for that.
Third week of pregnancy - how to take care of yourself?
Most women planning a pregnancy at this stage regularly take folic acid supplements . They are currently recommended starting 12 weeks before conception. If the expectant mother's diet has been irregular or lacking in minerals, blood tests for nutrient deficiencies can be performed , or at least, healthy habits can be implemented from now on.
For now, however, there is no need to make radical changes in the lifestyle, for example in terms of sports or consumed products (apart from stimulants, of course). There will be time for that in the following weeks of pregnancy.
Consultation:
Ph.D. n. med. prof. IMID Tadeusz Issat - Head of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at the Institute of Mother and Child;
Maria Krowicka-Wasyl – resident physician during specialization in gynecology and obstetrics, Clinic of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Institute of Mother and Child.
