In the 1st week of pregnancy, there is no actual pregnancy yet. In fact, we base this week on the first day of the expectant mother’s last menstrual period. Partners decide to have a child and begin their wait. The first day of the expectant mother’s menstruation arrives, and thus, the 1st week of the pregnancy period has officially begun for her. During this week, the uterine lining is shed and cleared; following this (provided the uterus is healthy), healthy eggs begin to form and become ready for the “great encounter.”
In the past, gynecologists calculated the pregnancy period month by month. However, since expectant mothers often did not know the exact date of conception, it was difficult to determine the precise delivery date. Nowadays, the pregnancy period is calculated week by week, and the baby’s development is monitored accordingly. The standard measurement starts the 1st week of pregnancy from the first day of the last menstrual period. Pregnancy lasts exactly 40 weeks. This way, experts avoid errors during the process and can accurately monitor the baby week by week. Expectant parents witness these developments with great excitement and follow the weeks carefully.
In women, egg development occurs regularly every month; subsequently, the egg meets the sperm cell in the fallopian tubes, and the ovulating egg merges with the sperm cell. Thus, an embryo is formed. We call this egg cell—this embryo that initially resembles the shape of a coin—a zygote.
We are currently in the 1st week of pregnancy, and conception has not yet taken place. Experts consider the 1st and 2nd weeks of pregnancy as part of the cycle even though there is no pregnancy yet; during the 1st week, they discuss the mother’s egg development and provide general information. In the 2nd week, they discuss the male’s sperm cell, how it is formed, and the great encounter. In the 3rd week, they talk about the meeting of the sperm and the egg, resulting in fertilization. From the 4th week onwards, the expectant mother is officially pregnant. Starting from this stage, parents can follow the baby’s development week by week and witness its growth moment by moment.
