Week Pregnant: Planning Body for Pregnancy

Week one among gestation begins on the primary day of your last expelling amount, even if you haven’t really planned, however. This is the time once your doctor can begin investigating down your forty weeks of gestation. Confusing, isn’t it?

So why do we jump the gun on the countdown? Because when you have got a amount, your body is essentially priming itself for pregnancy by sweeping away unfertilized eggs. Roughly two weeks after your cycle begins, your ovaries release a new egg— meaning that you’re ovulating and ready to get pregnant. Click here to try our ovulation calculator.

More specifically, a number of hormonal changes happen during your cycle that aid in conception. First, the follicle-stimulating hormone(also known as FSH) begins inducing egg production. Then, as every egg-carrying cyst matures, estrogen is produced. This hormone encourages the thickening of the uterine lining and spurs the production of luteinizing hormone, which helps the follicles break through the ovarian wall. This process is known as ovulation.

The pretty superb method our bodies undergo monthly, right? It happens without you even knowing it, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do things to help ensure that all goes smoothly. If you’re trying to conceive, talk to your doctor about prenatal vitamins. Typically, this consists of folic acid supplementation, which is known to help reduce the risk of certain birth defects. Your health care supplier might dictate between four hundred to 800 micrograms daily throughout the months leading up to your gestation. You may also consider talking to your physician about any medical conditions you have got and the way they might have an effect on your gestation. For example, women may need to take certain precautions or ask for help getting their condition under control before trying to conceive. Additionally, discuss any medications you’re taking to form certain they’re safe for gestation. Click here for 10 questions to ask your health care professional.

This may go without saying, but you should also avoid drinking alcohol during this time and, if you’re a smoker, make every effort to kick the habit. You may also want to steer clear of toxic chemicals and cat feces, as the latter can contain a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis, a condition known to be harmful to fetal health.