2 Weeks Pregnant
By R P James
If you have just discovered you're pregnant, congratulations to you! How far along are you? How do you calculate it? Well, it all depends on how well you kept track of your cycle. Health care providers, Obstetrics and Gynaecologist calculate pregnancy from the first day of your last menstrual period. That would make you around 4 to 5 weeks pregnant by the time your next period is late, about the time you took your home pregnancy test. Gee, that went quick, right?
But, you have not strictly been pregnant that long! You're most probable 2 weeks pregnant, if calculated by the definite date of ovulation and conception. The pregnancy actually began when your egg was fertilized, 10 to 14 days ago.
When a female conceives, it is inside a 24 to 48 hour window either before or after ovulation occurs. This is generally about day 14 to 18 of a woman's cycle. But let's go back to the start of this cycle. You're 2 weeks pregnant, so when did your cycle start?
The first cycle day is the first day of the menstrual period. It may last 5 to 7 days. Then, in one more week, the ovaries get ready to release an egg. Ovulation typically occurs between day 14 and 18 of that cycle. If there is sperm at the top of the fallopian tube waiting for the freeing of the egg, (sperm can survive for up to 5 days), the egg could be fertilized. It takes a further 6 to 8 days for a fertilized egg to embed in the uterus. Then, the hormones are freed that will cause the body's temperature to be higher than normal and create a warm, protective environment for the fertilized egg. These hormones can be detected about 10 to 14 days following ovulation and fertilization. So, do the math, you are 2 weeks pregnant counting from the date of conception.
However, since most women don't keep track of when they have ovulated, OBGYNs calculate from the first day of the last menstrual period, assuming that a woman's cycle is usually about 4 weeks. That, though, is a broad generalization since women's cycles differ very much from that average. So, if you know the rough average length of your cycles, you can better adjust the time frame for your pregnancy. If you have a 5-week cycle normally, then you would say that you are 4 weeks pregnant, even even if it has been 5 weeks since your period began, in order to be more precise with the way your Obstetrician will measure your pregnancy.
Pregnancy is about 40 weeks in length, counting 4 weeks since your last period began, but not taking into account a lady who has longer cycles than 4 weeks. So, if your period was just not on time, think yourself 4 weeks pregnant rather than 5, and add time to account for how long you waited to test after your period was due. Well done! You are 2 weeks pregnant! But, tell your Obstetrician that you're 4 weeks pregnant (or more)!