Congratulations – you've just discovered that you're pregnant. Chances are that you'll have found out within the first month of pregnancy, which is a critical point in your baby's development and will lay key foundations for the rest of his or her life. However, many women will not even realize that they're pregnant at this time, and may only find out once they are in their second month, because during 1 month pregnant belly almost reminds the same and it's quite common to have a light period during the first cycle after becoming pregnant.
1 Month Pregnant Belly and Other Changes You Should Know
Doctors calculate your due date from the first day of your last menstrual period, assuming an average 40 week-long pregnancy. However, for the first two weeks of these 40, you're not actually pregnant. Conception where the sperm fertilizes the egg occurs about two weeks after your period.
1 Month Pregnant - Belly Changes
The first month of pregnancy – beginning with conception, then implantation – is one of the busiest times during gestation. By the end of this month, the yolk sac, amniotic sac, and umbilical cord will all have begun to develop, and the embryo will be approximately 2mm in length. However, you won't see much change to a 1 month pregnant belly.
At this point in your pregnancy, the only indication that you're pregnant is usually a missed period and you won't see any changes in your belly just yet. The uterus is normally situated behind the bladder and will remain here until around 5-6 weeks' gestation, where it moves upwards and forwards.
Now the uterus will begin to press on the bladder, one of the reasons why pregnant women feel the need for frequent urination. You'll also see other common pregnancy symptoms at this stage – fatigue, sore and swollen breasts, morning sickness, constipation, an increase in vaginal discharge and changes to your blood vessels due to the rise in the volume of blood.
At three months, your womb will be as tall as your bladder, and you may notice some difference. If you're having your first baby, you'll usually see changes in the lower abdomen at around 14-16 weeks; if you've already had children, these differences appear earlier, at approximately 10-12 weeks.
1 Month Pregnant - The Fertilization and Implantation
You actually become pregnant in week three. When a man ejaculates, he deposits 350 million sperms into the vagina. These sperms swim up the uterus to the fallopian tubes, where they remain for up to four days, hoping to meet an egg secreted from the ovaries. If a sperm is able to penetrate an egg, conception (fertilization) occurs. The fertilized egg (zygote) rapidly divides into identical cells and travels down towards the uterus.
When the ball of cells implants and settles into the womb, some women may experience a phenomenon termed implantation bleeding, around 10-14 days following conception. Implantation bleeding may be confused with a menstrual period, but in implantation, the bleeding is typically light and only 1-2 days long.
1 Month Pregnant - The Development of the Embryo
Although 1 month pregnant belly changes are almost impossible to notice, the embryo does develop in your stomach. At this stage, you'll have missed your period, so you may suspect that you're pregnant, though your 1 month belly has barely changed. However, you may not realize that your baby is going through some important development of its own right now.
The zygote penetrates the uterine lining, and is now known as a blastocyst. Here, it splits into two groups of cells: cells that will develop into the actual embryo; and cells embedded in the uterine wall, which will become the placenta - vital for providing your baby with essential nutrients and removing waste products. Transvaginal ultrasound, where a small probe is inserted into the vagina, will show a gestational sac, a small bag-type structure in which the baby will grow.
The baby is now classified as an embryo, and forms heart and basic circulatory system quickly. It's also developing a structure known as the neural tube which will eventually turn into the central nervous system – the brain and the spinal chord. Incomplete closure of the neural tube gives rise to a congenital ailment called spina bifida. You can help to prevent your baby developing this condition by increasing your intake of folic acid.
1 Month Pregnant - Hormonal Changes
For the first seven weeks of pregnancy, the progesterone maintaining the uterine lining is secreted by the ovaries; after this, it's produced by the placenta. Progesterone is responsible for many of the classic symptoms of pregnancy. For example, you may now feel tenderness in your nipples and a tingling sensation in your breasts. Elevated progesterone levels also increase fat storage in your body, allow the embryo to feed off glycogen deposits and relax the smooth muscles, preventing premature labor. Many other pregnancy symptoms, like constipation, indigestion, nausea, and gastric reflux, are down to progesterone.
At this stage, all your reproductive hormones are in a constant state of flux. So you may go through phases of being incredibly happy followed by unexplained sadness and tearfulness. Don't worry – this is all perfectly normal.
Other Changes a Mom-to-Be May Experience in 1 Month Pregnant
Except the slight to no 1 month pregnant belly changes and other abovementioned changes during the 1st month of pregnancy, an expect mother may experience some other changes.
- In addition to wild hormonal mood swings, you may find dramatic changes in your appetite. Nausea is really common at one month of pregnancy, particularly the classic morning sickness. Some of your favorite foods may now seem disgusting and make you want to sprint to the bathroom.
- Other unpleasant symptoms you may experience at this time include breast soreness, trapped wind, and bloating from water retention. These feeling are similar to premenstrual tension and are a result of hormonal changes.
- The embryo is continuing to develop with the amniotic sac and umbilical cord taking shape. The yolk sac is there to protect and nourish the embryo until these structures have fully formed.
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