3 weeks pregnant

3 week of pregnancy has come. What's new in these days in a woman’s life? What joys and anxieties are associated with this time? The most important points, information and tips - everything for expectant mothers.

Two views on the term

For convenience, any doctor will count down from the first day of the last menstruation of a woman. The concept of obstetric term is based on this system. According to another system (embryonic), the period is considered from the middle of the cycle. It was at this time that ovulation and conception most often occurred.

In obstetric practice, the third week is the period of fertilization. The egg has matured and is moving towards the uterine cavity. At some point, a sperm penetrates into it, and then the zygote continues to move. This new cell has a complete set of chromosomes and is capable of very fast division.

According to the embryonic method, once a single cell already develops violent activity and actively lives its own special, hidden life. And the expectant mother? If she still does not know exactly about her pregnancy, she probably guesses. After all, she has already delayed her period for about a week.

In order not to get confused in the lines, read a detailed article about it (gestational age: obstetric and fetal).

From hunch to confidence

According to medical research, 70-75% of fertilized eggs are rejected by the female body even before being fixed in the uterine cavity. This happens for many reasons:

• initial cell defects;
• hormonal disorders;
• infectious diseases;
• stress.

Sometimes rejection occurs without any preconditions at all. Since the embryo has not actually begun to develop, such a phenomenon is not considered a miscarriage. A woman may, in principle, not find out what happened. For her, one day another menstruation will simply come.

Unwanted pregnancy

The third week from conception is the time for a decision to be made if pregnancy is not only not planned, but not allowed. Everything happens in life.In fact, no contraceptive method gives a 100% guarantee. And sometimes partners take this important issue carelessly.

In any case, if you interrupt an unwanted pregnancy, then right now. Only abortion decision must be balanced and accepted with full responsibility. Any actions should occur as directed and under the supervision of a physician. "Self-activity" here can lead to the most adverse consequences.

Feelings of the expectant mother

In the third obstetric week, everything goes as usual for a woman. But three weeks after the conception of new experiences, there can be many.

For example, a woman begins to accurately recognize the smell of dark and light grapes. Even if before she could not boast of a delicate sense of smell. And then the smell of the toilet water of her beloved man begins to madly annoy her.

Food tastes can also change. Sauerkraut or cucumbers become almost the most delicious food, and your favorite cheese variety is suddenly disgusting. Perhaps this is a prelude to taste quirks. Among future and accomplished fathers, there are whole legends about wives who ate herring with sour cream or demanded strawberries in February.

And also the most active and lively woman suddenly turns into a “sleeping beauty”. It seems that the rest is full, and there is no overwork. But at the same time, more than anything else, I want to sleep.

All such sensations arise in women due to hormonal and physical changes. The body is intensely tuned to work in a special mode. Also, the expectant mother may note:

• increased sensitivity of the breast, especially the nipples;
• frequent use of the toilet due to relaxation of the smooth muscles of the intestines and increased activity of the ureters;
• periodic constipation;
• nausea (which may result in vomiting).

What will others notice?

Objective signs are absent in the third obstetric week, but can be very noticeable with the embryonic approach. A test or blood test is probably done, confirmation is received. Thoughts about the baby can significantly affect the appearance of the future mother. She becomes more feminine, graceful and seems to bloom.

However, at the same time, a woman can suddenly “break loose” and become irritated. Relatives or friends will see a marked increase or decrease in appetite.

During a physical examination, the doctor will note specific symptoms: swelling of the breast and an increase in the size of the patient's uterus.

Embryo or fetus? What is going on inside?

From the obstetric point of view, in the third week a full pregnancy has not yet occurred. So far, the uterus is preparing to accept a fertilized egg.

Everything is different, if you count from conception. Although the embryo is still a berry-like set of cells, it already contains sex formation begins. So far, at the same cellular level, real sexual characteristics will not appear soon.

If the embryo has not yet fixed itself in the uterine cavity, now it will definitely happen. The whole process is quite complicated, it takes about forty hours. First of all, the embryo produces a particularly important immunopressor protein. The fact is that half of the cells of the embryo are foreign to the mother’s body - because they “came” from the father of the child. Without a special protein “signal”, the uterus will never accept the future fetus - immunity will not allow it.

Fixation of the embryo in the uterus gives rise to another important process. it placentation. Through it, the fetus in the womb receives all the necessary nutrients.

What does the unborn child look like? So far, everything is pretty prosaic. The embryo is in the morula stage - a dense rounded lump of cells. Morula quickly turns into a blastocyst. This means that inside the lump a cavity is formed with fetal fluid, in which the baby will then develop.

Ectopic pregnancy

The term seems to speak for itself. Theoretically, in addition to the uterus, a fertilized egg can gain a foothold in other areas of the female reproductive system (for example, on the ovary or in the fallopian tube).

The percentage of ectopic pregnancies is very small, but a sad probability always exists. When to suspect something was wrong? Severe, growing pain is the first signal of possible disturbances.. In this case, the stomach hurts not from below, but to the left or right. Usually this is a place of improper fixing of the embryo. The pain intensifies when the doctor palpates. The most experienced specialists can even determine the place of implantation.

Nowadays, sparing methods for getting rid of an ectopic pregnancy have been developed. They do not give negative consequences and in the future do not interfere with motherhood.

Spontaneous abortion

A miscarriage is the rejection of a fetus already entrenched in the uterine cavity. Many factors can provoke it. The main signs are bleeding or constant spotting, sharp pain and pulling sensations in the lower abdomen and lower back. The consequences depend on how quickly the woman herself and the doctors reacted.

Frozen pregnancy

During pregnancy 3 weeks from conception, fading sometimes occurs. Then the test (both pharmacy and hCG) first confirms the pregnancy, and then as if already “does not see” it. However, menstruation does not occur. The detection of a dead pregnancy requires a careful approach and a thorough diagnosis.

Do I need to do an ultrasound?

In the normal course of pregnancy, an ultrasound scan in the third obstetric week may be required to confirm completed ovulation. Three weeks after conception, scanning during normal pregnancy will be almost uninformative. The embryo will look like a small dot on the background of the uterine cavity.

But with a suspicion of an ectopic pregnancy, it is precisely by the results of ultrasound that the place of attachment of the embryo will become clear and a decision will be made on further actions. For greater reliability, ultrasound can be performed transvaginally, that is, through the vagina. The procedure is carried out carefully, carefully and does not cause discomfort.

Will there be any discharge?

For the third week of pregnancy, some special discharge is uncharacteristic. With obstetric counts, relatively thick and dense mucus can normally be released. It protects the egg from external infections - does it happen suddenly or has conception already taken place?

When the fetus is fixed, minor implantation bleeding may appear. This is just a faint brown discharge or pink or bloody smears.

If the third week is from conception, the pregnancy is confirmed, and suddenly the blood has really gone, this may mean a miscarriage.

Body temperature: the line between normal and disease

If the fetal period is three weeks, a slight fever (37.2 ° C) without signs of a cold is normal. However, 37.5 or more is already a danger signal.

When contacting a doctor, a woman must warn him about a possible or confirmed pregnancy. The doctor will take this into account when choosing treatment methods.

For many, a cold is a mild illness that they treat on their own. Including antibiotics. For a pregnant woman, this is 100% unacceptable. Antibiotics, even topical, should be prescribed only by a doctor. And he can do this only in the most extreme and difficult cases.Side effects of this group of drugs can cause many different complications in the embryo.

3 weeks of pregnancy and sex

The third obstetric week will not do without sex. When planning a conception, the intimate life of a couple usually follows a certain schedule. Ideally, sex should be on the day of ovulation, 2-3 days before and 2-3 days after it. This increases the quality of sperm and increases the likelihood of conception.

In the third week after conception, the sexual life of future parents may remain the same or change. Some women experience increased attraction to the father of the child. Others note a decrease in libido. Both of these are normal and should not cause concern.

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There is also a rather rare sign of pregnancy that hardly occurs. After intercourse, a woman can feel sharp, severe pain in the vagina and on the labia. In this case, the intimate life gives the expectant mother inconvenience, even a sense of fear. Fortunately, such feelings soon pass.

If the intimate life of future parents threatens to deteriorate, it is important to take action in time. The main thing at this time is the trust between the woman and her husband (partner). A man must definitely explain that there are changes in attraction, that he remains a loved and desired person. From the future father, patience and attention to his soul mate will be required.

Intimate life will have to stop completely if there is a threat of miscarriage.

Nutrition of the expectant mother

Do not listen to those who recommend “eat more often and more.” The nutrition of a pregnant woman should be carefully calculated and complete. The main recommendations are the same as with planning or at an earlier date.

1. Eating - fractional, 4-5 times a day.
2. For the full presence of protein, you need lean meat and, conversely, fish of fatty varieties (it contains important acids), as well as legumes and dairy products. Mushrooms are also protein, but such food can be heavy for the stomach.
3. Fresh vegetables and fruits - to provide vitamins and minerals. No pharmaceutical vitamin complex will be truly effective if mom does not receive natural vitamins from food.
4. No colorful soda! This is zero good and a lot of calories.
5. It is advisable to abandon white buns and switch to coarse bread.

Another nutritional recommendation will help expectant mothers with early toxicosis. An attack of nausea can be found everywhere: at work, on a walk, in public transport. Sometimes it “rolls” so that the forces literally leave the woman. In addition, vomiting in public places is a strong psychological stress. What to do?

It is advisable to experimentally find that “yummy” that will help suppress an attack of nausea. It could be anything. A bottle of sparkling mineral water will save you if stomach acidity increases with nausea. Someone carries an apple with him in a plastic bag and bites off a little when nausea comes up. A piece of cheese, a cracker or something else can help - the expectant mother needs to carefully experiment.

In case of sudden vomiting, it is better to carry a special bag and wet wipes in your purse.

We recommend that you read the detailed article. about toxicosis >>>

Other “possible” and “not”

Expectant mother can and should take care of herself and future baby. This should be done in all cases: if pregnancy is planned, allowed or already detected. The main recommendations are the same as in the first or second week:

• The intake of vitamins. What kind of drugs are needed - the doctor must decide.
• If for some reason alcohol and cigarettes are still present in a woman’s life, they must be “driven away” immediately and for a long time. In the third week from conception, any negative factors are dangerous for the embryo.
• Every effort must be made to avoid nervous shocks. Only positive emotions. But they should not be excessive. Having survived some kind of moral upsurge, the expectant mother may note with great surprise that she is very tired even of positive experiences.
• You can’t lift weights and do hard physical work. If the expectant mother is involved in sports, the load will have to be reviewed, or even completely changed the type of exercise. Most often, expectant mothers are recommended swimming (for their own pleasure) and yoga.

In the third week from conception, it is important for the expectant mother to remember: she is now not alone and shares with her baby everything that happens to her. Attention to yourself will make the third week of expectation joyful and happy.

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Video guide: 3 weeks of pregnancy: sensations, discharge, signs, fetal development