Your pregnancy: 2 weeks pregnant

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Polly Logan-Banks

Content Editor

At 'two weeks pregnant', you've really only just conceived. Find out what it really means to be 2 weeks pregnant, including whether you'll experience any early pregnancy symptoms.

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What's happening at two weeks?

Confusingly, 'two weeks pregnant' doesn't actually mean that it's been two weeks since you conceived!

Healthcare professionals count weeks of pregnancy from the first day of your last menstrual period (LMP). This is because it can be hard to tell exactly when you conceived during your cycle.

So you officially count as 'two weeks pregnant' from 14 days after the first day of your last period.

That means that 'two weeks pregnant' is actually around the time of conception, where egg meets sperm.

If you think you conceived two weeks ago, you could actually be four weeks pregnant, so head over to our 4 weeks pregnant page to learn more about what to expect. Or read on to find out what happens at 'two weeks pregnant', aka the time of conception.

What happens at conception?

Conception is the magical moment where egg meets sperm. To understand exactly what happens, you first need to know a little bit about ovulation ...

Women are born with all the eggs they'll ever have already sitting in their ovaries. Usually, one or more of these eggs matures and is released during each menstrual cycle. The release of an egg is known as ovulation.

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Ovulation usually happens about two weeks before your next period is due. So if you have a regular 28-day cycle, you'll usually ovulate about 14 days after the first day of your last period. If your cycle is 35 days, ovulation usually happens about 21 days after the first day of your last period.

If you have an irregular cycle, it can be difficult to know exactly when you ovulate, but there are some ways to track your ovulation.

After ovulation, the egg travels down the fallopian tubes to your womb. It can survive for about a day after release. If it meets sperm within this time, conception can happen! Otherwise, the unfertilised egg will leave your body during your next period.

When egg and sperm meet

When you have sex, your partner's sperm travel towards your fallopian tubes in search of an egg. They can survive inside your body for up to seven days.

So, if you had sex in the week up to ovulation, the day of ovulation, or the day after, now is the time that egg and sperm might meet and conceive a baby.

When the egg is fertilised, the cells quickly start to divide and multiply. Within a week or so, it'll become a bundle of cells known as a blastocyst, and will implant in the lining of your womb, ready to start growing into a baby!

Sadly though, it's thought that a lot of fertilised eggs don't quite make it. Up to one in five confirmed pregnancies end in miscarriage, and it's thought that many more miscarriages may happen before the couple even realise they've conceived.

Signs of pregnancy at 2 weeks

At two weeks, most women won't have any idea that they're pregnant. Early pregnancy symptoms don't usually kick in until the fertilised egg implants in your womb (uterus), or later. If you conceived this week, implantation isn't likely to happen until at least the end of this week, if not next week.

Once the egg has implanted, your body will start making pregnancy hormones. Many women don't experience any symptoms when this happens, but if you pay careful attention to your body, you may notice a few early signs over the coming weeks, such as:

• tender breasts
• feeling more tired than usual
• increased vaginal discharge
• nausea (that famed, but poorly named 'morning sickness')

For many women though, the first sign of pregnancy is a missed period, which could still be a couple of weeks away.

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Can I take a pregnancy test at 2 weeks pregnant?

No, it's still too early for even the most sensitive pregnancy tests to give an accurate result. The hormones that a pregnancy test detects don't start to build up until the fertilised egg has implanted in your womb.

The best time to take a pregnancy test is the day your period is due. If you don't know when your period is due, then wait at least 21 days after having unprotected sex.

Some super-sensitive pregnancy tests can give an accurate result as early as eight days after conception. If you think you may have conceived this week, you'll need to wait until at least next week before you can test.

Learn more about when to take a pregnancy test, or find out where to buy the best pregnancy tests.

What to do this week

As there's no way to know if you're pregnant yet, this can be a tough week emotionally. The dreaded two-week wait (TWW) is a difficult time for many couples who are trying to conceive.

Try to distract yourself as much as you can. Book in lunches with friends, find a great box set to distract you, have date nights with your partner ... Whatever helps to get your mind off trying to conceive (TTC).

If worries about whether you've conceived or not are getting on top of you, try these relaxation exercises to calm your mind. Or head to the TTC board in the Netmums forum, to chat to other couples going through the same thing.

If you're TTC, or think you might be pregnant, there are a few precautions you should take to keep your baby safe in case you have conceived:

• Take folic acid tablets (400mcg a day) and vitamin D tablets (10mcg a day)
• Steer clear of alcohol
• Don't smoke or take illegal drugs
• Limit your caffeine intake to 200mg a day (about two cups of instant coffee)
• If you're taking any medication, have a word with your GP to check that it's safe to take during pregnancy. Never stop taking your regular meds without talking to your GP first.

If you like, you can also calculate what your due date will be if you do conceive this week, using our due date calculator below.

What to watch this week...

Get expert tips on what to expect at 2 weeks pregnant from our midwife.

What happens next week...

Want to know what happens when you're three weeks pregnant? Click on the numbers above to find out more about what to expect at each week of pregnancy.