Pregnancy Signs & Symptoms: Week 1

Creator: Dr. Oksana Melnyk
Published: 2025-01-30 00:47:12

Dr. Oksana Melnyk is a specialist in the Obstetrics & Gynaecology. She completed her Specialist Diploma in Medicine from the Bogomolets National Medical University, Kyiv, Ukraine and a postgraduate Specialist Training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology as well as a PhD in Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynaecology from the Shupyk National Healthcare University of Ukraine.

Updated On:January 30, 2025

Can you feel symptoms in week 1 of pregnancy?

The majority of people don't show any signs of pregnancy at week one, but others may show signs as early as week five or six after sexual activity, including exhaustion, breast tenderness, and minor cramps.

How to calculate week 1 of pregnancy?

Pregnancy is usually measured by medical experts starting on the first day of the last menstrual cycle. An approximate pregnancy due date can be found by counting the first week of the last menstrual cycle, even if the individual is not genuinely pregnant at this stage.

Pregnancy week 1 is defined in this article as the actual first week of pregnancy, beginning one week following conception.

When an ovary produces an egg (ovulation) and a sperm fertilizes it, this process is known as conception or fertilization. This can occur anywhere from 14 days to 28 days following the onset of a normal menstrual cycle; however, individual differences may occur.

After fertilization, implantation usually starts 5-7 days later. This is the point at which the fertilized egg adheres to the uterine lining. The uterine wall's blood vessels may be broken by the egg's movement, which might result in mild bleeding and cramps.

Pregnancy symptoms during week 1

First-week pregnancy symptoms, if present, are only a few. Every individual and every pregnancy is unique, though, and so are the signs and symptoms associated with this journey.

Below is a list of symptoms associated with the first week of pregnancy:

Absence of periods: Most of the time, missing or substantially lighter periods are the earliest signs of pregnancy.
Bleeding: An early indicator of pregnancy is transplantation bleeding. It differs from the menstrual cycle. Rather, there is mild bleeding that may just entail a little quantity of pink discharge or a single dab of blood. The period of spotting might be a few hours or many days long.
Cramps: Mild cramps may also be experienced by people as the embryo adheres to the uterine wall. Some people may get cramping in the lumbar back, pelvis, or abdomen. There may be a tugging, tingling, or prickling feeling associated with the cramps. Some may have sporadic pain that comes and goes over several days, while others may just have a few mild cramps.

Additional signs of an early pregnancy include:

Breast changes, such as soreness, swelling, or tingling
Obvious blue veins
Nausea with or without vomiting
Frequent urination
Headache elevated body temperature at rest
Stomach bloating or gas
Weariness or exhaustion
Irritation or mood fluctuations
Dietary aversions or desires
An enhanced ability to smell
Mouthfeel of metal

These symptoms are not exclusive to pregnancy. Notably, early pregnancy does not always result in symptoms that are obvious. However, five to six weeks following the first day of their last menstrual cycle is when most women start to experience pregnancy symptoms.

Pregnancy tests are the most reliable technique for someone to determine whether or not they are pregnant.

When to take a pregnancy test?

The cells around the egg, which eventually develop into the placenta, release the human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormone as the egg matures into an embryo. The hCG level in the urine is measured during a pregnancy test.

As soon as ten days after fertilization, a pregnancy test may show a positive result. But normally, it takes three weeks or more for the urine to contain enough hCG to result in a positive pregnancy test. Therefore, the ideal time to take a pregnancy test is one week following a missing period in order to ensure an accurate result. A pregnancy test yields positive or negative findings.

Even if a person is truly pregnant, a pregnancy test taken earlier than one week after missing a period may yield a negative result. After a week, a person should retake the test if they still think they are pregnant even if the results were negative. Make sure you verify the pregnancy test's expiration date and carefully follow the given instructions to prevent a false negative result.

A blood test can also be used to identify a pregnancy. This test determines whether hCG is present in the blood. Although it might take up to 48 hours to receive the results from the lab, the blood test can reveal a positive result many days before the at-home pregnancy test.

References

Alexander, J. M., McIntire, D. D., & Leveno, K. J. (2000). Forty weeks and beyond: pregnancy outcomes by week of gestation. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 96(2), 291-294.

Chou, F. H., Lin, L. L., Cooney, A. T., Walker, L. O., & Riggs, M. W. (2003). Psychosocial factors related to nausea, vomiting, and fatigue in early pregnancy. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 35(2), 119-125.

Huxley, R. R. (2000). Nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: its role in placental development. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 95(5), 779-782.

Jewell, D., Young, G., & Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group. (1996). Interventions for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2010(1).

Smith, C., Crowther, C., Beilby, J., & Dandeaux, J. (2000). The impact of nausea and vomiting on women: a burden of early pregnancy. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 40(4), 397-401.