Take your time with this information
Week 2
This week marks your fertile window. This is the week you might conceive because of ovulation, and if you‘ve timed it right, sperm should meet egg!
Your body
Following your menstrual period, the luteinizing hormone (LH) that has been increasing reaches a peak. The surge of LH is what is detected in your urine by ovulation test kits, a critical time in your fertile window! The peak of LH is responsible for the activation of different enzymes that help to break down the ovarian wall which causes the most mature ovarian follicle to burst open releasing the egg. This is what we know as ovulation and typically occurs 10–12 hours after the LH peak.1,2
Symptoms
You will not experience any pregnancy symptoms this week. However, some people do experience symptoms related to ovulation. These may include:
- Changes in cervical mucus that may appear clear, often described as “egg-white” consistency3,4
- Increase in basal body temperature of 0.2°C-0.5°C/0.5–1°F3,4
- A dull ache or pain on one side of the lower abdomen3
- Increased libido3
- Breast tenderness3
- Changes in appetite3
Things to do this week
Now is a good time to start making little lifestyle changes, if you haven’t already, to best support conception and early pregnancy:
- Try to take folic acid consistently to support conception and reduce the risk of brain and neural tube defects in the early stages of foetal development5
- Staying active and keeping a healthy weight can help support fertility and overall health6
- Try to avoid alcohol consumption and smoking – both are known to affect sperm and egg quality and may reduce your chances of conception and a healthy pregnancy7,8