One lucky sperm has penetrated your egg's outer layer and fertilised it!

What's happening to your baby?

By week 3, ovulation would usually have occurred. The pregnancy will have started by now if one lucky sperm managed to penetrate your egg and fertilised it — congratulations! The sperm contents will determine the gender of your baby, but that will remain a surprise until around week 14. Right now, the fertilised egg is just a tiny cluster of rapidly multiplying cells. These cells will later go on to form the embryo and placenta. Your fertilised egg will also begin its journey from your fallopian tube to your womb where it will implant itself and grow for the next nine months. Welcome to this beautiful new phase of your life, mum-to-be.

What's happening to you?

You're not likely to experience any tell-tale physical pregnancy signs at this stage. Many won't know, so please ensure you keep unhealthy habits at bay. Occasionally, you may be able to get a faint positive result on a home pregnancy kit if you get tested sometime at the end of this week.

While your little ball of cells, called a blastocyst, is busy multiplying, you may experience early pregnancy signs such as food aversions, fatigue and sore breasts. However, this varies from individual to individual and is perfectly normal. Start taking folic acid supplements — doctors recommend that mums-to-be should take at least 400 to 800mcg of folic acid daily. Try to stay healthy and happy, keep positive and let nature take its course.


By Associate Professor TAN Thiam Chye Head & Senior Consultant, Dr TAN Shu Qi Senior O&G Resident,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, KK Women's and Children's Hospital

Copyright © 2016 HealthHub.sg. All rights reserved.