Many women in the early stages of pregnancy may not detect any signs, or they may be so faint that they are ignored. However, very early signs of pregnancy 2 weeks appear and your body experiences a sequence of hormonal changes that leave small signals. You may have slight cramps or an unexplainable sense of tiredness and fatigue.
This article focuses on each sign and change in your body to help you understand what’s going on during this delicate phase, so you can be completely prepared to welcome this new and significant chapter in your life. Go ahead and explore!
Hormonal Changes in the Early Weeks
A woman is not actually pregnant for the first two weeks of pregnancy. The process starts on the first day of the menstrual cycle, which usually lasts three to five days.
Ovulation typically begins around the 14th day of the cycle but can go until the 20th day, this period of ovulation differs from female to another.
During this time, the egg is fertilized by a sperm and travels down the fallopian tube to the uterus, where it implants in the uterine lining in a process known as implantation.
Very early signs of pregnancy 2 weeks may be occurred during this stage such as:
- missed menstrual cycle.
- Swollen breasts.
- Feeling nauseated.
- Vomiting.
- Sensitivity to particular foods or smells.
- Frequent urination.
Hormonal changes may be one reason that is responsible for these signs.
As you becoming pregnant many physiological changes occur in your body as a result of hormonal changes, such as
- Human chorionic gonadotropin hormone.
- Thyroid stimulating hormone and prolactin.
- Progesteron.
- Estrogen.
Human chorionic gonadotropin hormone.
Changes in HCG, particularly it’s beta subunits produced by placental cells known as syncytiotrophoblasts, perform several critical roles including:
- Stimulate the corpus luteum to produce progesterone, which aids in the maintenance of the pregnancy.
- Maintaining the corpus luteum to avoid further ovulation.
- Stimulating the ovaries to produce more progesterone and estrogen during 10-12 weeks, until the placenta becomes mature and produces these hormones via itself.
Thyroid stimulating hormone and prolactin.
Non-pregnant women’s hypothalamus generates thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), which stimulates the pituitary gland’s anterior lobe to release thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and prolactin (PRL).
However, during pregnancy, TSH and PRL levels rise rapidly, due to the placenta’s effect. This increased production serves plenty of vital functions including:
- The requirement for thyroid hormones increases by around 50% to support the growth of the fetus’s brain and thyroid glands.
- Prolactin levels rise when the pituitary gland grows by approximately 135%. This increase stimulates the growth of breast tissue, which leads to increased production of milk.
Notably, breast enlargement is one of the very early signs of pregnancy 2 weeks.
Progesterone
Progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone are steroid hormones required for female reproductive health.
During early pregnancy, corpus luteum activity causes an increase in 17α-hydroxyprogesterone levels, which then return to baseline by the 10th week.
Around the 32nd week, a slight rise starts, which is critical for avoiding preterm labor.
In the early stages of pregnancy، The corpus luteum produces progesterone, but after the tenth week, the placenta takes over and releases all of its progesterone into the maternal circulation.
Progesterone performs a variety of functions and is vital for a successful pregnancy such as:
- Stimulates secretory changes in the uterine lining.
- Facilitates effective embryo implantation in the uterus.
- Controls the maternal immunological response to prevent embryo rejection.
- Allows the uterus to relax so that the pregnancy can be maintained.
- Inhibits uterine contractions, which helps to prevent premature labor.
Estrogen
The placenta cannot manufacture oestrogens or progesterone on its own due to a lack of enzymes.
The fetal adrenal gland produces dehydroisoandrosterone sulfate (DHA), which converts to estradiol-17β.
Oestrogen is required for the following:
- Development of fetal organs and systems.
- Aids in the regulation of bone density in the growing limbs
- Regulate hormone levels
- Maintain placental growth and function.
- Stimulates the adrenal gland.
- Increases breast tissue development in preparation for breastfeeding.
Understanding Implantation Bleeding
Implantation bleeding normally happens 10 to 14 days after conception, when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining.
This process can cause minor bleeding, which is one of the very early signs of pregnancy 2 weeks.
According to the National Library of Medicine, around one in every four pregnant women experiences vaginal bleeding at this stage.
However, it is crucial to note that implantation is not a reason for all first-trimester bleeding. It may be linked with symptoms, such as:
- Light cramping.
- Headache.
- Nausea.
- Breast discomfort.
Although implantation bleeding frequently occurs around the time of a menstrual cycle, it differs from a regular period in several important ways as follows:
- Menstrual blood is dark red, whereas implantation bleeding is frequently light pink.
- Clot formation rarely results in implantation bleeding, whereas periods frequently do.
- Implantation bleeding is often light and lasts a few hours to two days, but a menstrual period is stronger and can last up to one week.
Breast Tenderness and Sensitivity
According to studies, around 76 percent of pregnant women feel breast tenderness and sensitivity as one of very early signs of pregnancy 2 weeks.
This discomfort is caused by hormonal changes during the early stages of pregnancy. Increased levels of prolactin hormone, in particular, increase blood flow to the breast tissue, resulting in swelling and a heaviness sensation.
Additionally, the pain results from the stretching of milk ducts as the breasts prepare to supply more blood and nutrients. This increased blood flow often leads to the formation of apparent blue veins.
Furthermore, the nipples become very sensitive to touch at this period.
Along with these changes, progesterone and estrogen cause facial hyperpigmentation, also known as melasma, by enhancing melanin production.
Similarly, hyperpigmentation of the nipples occurs, darkening and making them more visible. This alteration is significant because it helps prepare the breasts for breastfeeding and makes the nipples more visible to the baby.
Fatigue and Emotional Shifts
A study of 605 pregnant women discovered that around 94.2% had decreased energy or fatigue, as well as mood swings, which were mostly due to sleep disruptions caused by hormonal variations.
A sudden increase in progesterone and estrogen levels and physical changes in appearance of pregnant women are recognized as an important trigger to fatigue, mood swings, depression, weariness, anxiety, and a general feeling of sluggishness.
Early Pregnancy Testing and Accuracy
A missed menstrual cycle is a very early signs of pregnancy 2 weeks. To confirm the pregnancy, a qualitative pregnancy test can be performed, providing a positive or negative result. This test can be done at home using urine or at a lab with a blood sample.
If the result is positive, a healthcare provider might suggest doing a quantitative pregnancy test, which is a digital test, to determine the exact number of weeks of pregnancy.
It is important for pregnant women to know that after implantation, small amounts of the hCG hormone will appear in the urine sample 7 to 9 days, or within 2 to 3 days in a blood sample if the period is delayed.
The hCG levels typically rise during the first trimester and then slightly decrease afterward.In addition, the studies indicated that about 89% of early pregnancy tests are accurate.
Summary
Pregnancy begins on the first day of the menstrual cycle. Ovulation occurs around the 14th day, with signs like missed menstrual cycle, swollen breasts, nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to certain foods or smells, and frequent urination.
Hormonal changes, such as Human Chorionic Gonadotropin Hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin, progesterone, and estrogen, may cause very early signs of pregnancy 2 weeks.
Implantation bleeding occurs 10-14 days after conception. Around 76% of pregnant women experience breast tenderness and sensitivity, caused by hormonal changes during the early stages of pregnancy.
A study of 605 pregnant women experienced decreased energy and mood swings due to hormonal changes. Early pregnancy testing, due to missed menstrual cycles, can confirm pregnancy by providing positive or negative results and about 89% of early pregnancy tests are accurate.
References
- Kumar, P., & Magon, N. (2012, October). Hormones in pregnancy. Nigerian medical journal : journal of the Nigeria Medical Association. From PubMed
- NHS. (n.d.-a). NHS choices. From NHS
- Betz, D. (2023, August 14). Human chorionic gonadotropin. StatPearls [Internet]. From NIH
- Kumar, P., & Magon, N. (2012a, October). Hormones in pregnancy. Nigerian medical journal : journal of the Nigeria Medical Association. From PubMed
- Kepley, J. M. (2023a, March 12). Physiology, maternal changes. StatPearls [Internet]. From NIH
- Dante, G., Vaccaro, V., & Facchinetti, F. (2013). Use of progestogens during early pregnancy. Facts, views & vision in ObGyn. From PubMed
- Kumar, P., & Magon, N. (2012, October). Hormones in pregnancy. Nigerian medical journal : journal of the Nigeria Medical Association. From NIH
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.-a). What are some common signs of pregnancy?. Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. From NIH
- Parisi, F., Fenizia, C., Introini, A., Zavatta, A., Scaccabarozzi, C., Biasin, M., & Savasi, V. (2023, November 2). The pathophysiological role of estrogens in the initial stages of pregnancy: Molecular mechanisms and clinical implications for pregnancy outcome from the periconceptional period to end of the first trimester. Human reproduction update. From PubMed
- Lutterodt, M. C., Kähler, P., Krogstrup, J., Nielsdatter, D. R., Siersma, V., & Ertmann, R. K. (2019, November 12). Examining to what extent pregnancy-related physical symptoms worry women in the first trimester of pregnancy: A cross-sectional study in general practice. BJGP open. From NIH
- NHS. (n.d.). NHS choices. From NHS MC;, H. E. H. (n.d.). First Trimester Bleeding: Evaluation and Management. American family physician. From PubMed
- MC;, H. E. H. (n.d.). First Trimester Bleeding: Evaluation and Management. American family physician. From PubMed
- Mortazavi, F., & Borzoi, F. (2019, February). Fatigue in pregnancy: The validity and reliability of the Farsi Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue Scale. Sultan Qaboos University medical journal. From NIH
