2 weeks pregnant: Key points

Changes for mum

• Week 2 of pregnancy ends with ovulation, that is the release of an egg from your ovaries for fertilisation, which usually occurs on the first day of week 3 of pregnancy.
• In the lead up to ovulation your body is busy producing luteinising hormone which causes one egg in your ovaries to become fully mature for ovulation.
• The lining of your womb thickens in preparation for pregnancy, should the egg you release be fertilised.
• Your body temperature rises slightly and your cervical mucus becomes thinner and stretchier. These subtle changes are the only detectable signs of ovulation.
• The egg which will form your baby is microscopic- just one tenth of a millimetre.

Pregnancy planning and getting pregnant

• If you have not done so already, visit your doctor for preconception care.
• Make sure you’re keeping healthy by eating a nutritious diet, exercising and avoiding dangerous substances like drugs and alcohol.
• Have plenty of sex- even though you have not yet ovulated, your partner’s sperm can survive inside you for up to 48 hours while they are waiting for your egg to be released.
• Don’t worry about timing sex to coincide with ovulation. Your partner releases about 40 million sperm each time he ejaculates and only one is needed to fertilise your egg.

Pregnancy planning for dads

• Men should also prepare for pregnancy by following a healthy diet and avoiding dangerous substances like alcohol and tobacco.
• Masturbation won’t reduce your chances of conceiving. As long as you are also having sex, there will still be plenty of sperm left to do the job of getting pregnant.

Misconceptions about pregnancy

• There is no evidence that female orgasm increases the chance of pregnancy, however it won’t reduce your chances either.
• There’s nothing you can do to increase your chance of conceiving twins or a boy or girl baby. Having sex at a particular time or in a particular position will not help.
• It’s possible that sexual positions which enable deeper penetration give sperm a better chance of reaching your egg after they are released. However, there’s no hard evidence of this and you can get pregnant no matter what position you choose.

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References

More information on the 2^nd week of pregnancy

For more information on the second week of pregnancy, see 2 weeks pregnant.

For more information about the changes that occur when pregnant, see Changes to mum and baby this week.

For more information about preparing your body for pregnancy with healthy eating and exercise, see How to get pregnant and preconception health information this week.

For more information about how to improve the chances of getting your partner pregnant, see Men’s health and how to improve male fertility this week.

For more information about conception and the myths surrounding it, see Misconceptions about conception this week.