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Analyzes and ultrasound at 2 months of pregnancy.

The second month of pregnancy is the optimal time to visit a gynecologist. Do your homework before doing this. With a delay in menstruation from 2-3 days, almost any pharmacy test is informative.

The gynecologist will examine you in the chair, take a smear for analysis, and estimate the gestational age by the increased size of the uterus.

You also need to consult with a therapist, dentist, ENT, ophthalmologist. If you have a chronic disease, visit a specialized specialist. Ultrasound up to 12 weeks is prescribed only for alarming symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy or a threat of termination.

What does the belly look like at 2 months pregnant?

There are no obvious changes in the figure yet. Although the size of the uterus by the end of the second month is about the size of a grapefruit, it still fits easily in the abdominal cavity. At this time, you may notice periodic bloating. It occurs due to hormonal changes that affect digestion.

How does an embryo develop?

An embryo at 2 months of pregnancy weighs about 1-2 grams. The length of his body is 2.5 cm. Outwardly, he resembles a seahorse: his head is pressed to his chest. In the middle of the month, the neural tube is laid - the rudiment of the central nervous system. The hemispheres of the brain are formed, the digestive tract and respiratory system, and the sex glands develop.

There is an intensive development of the skeleton: the arms and legs lengthen, the elbow joint appears, the muscles develop, and the baby is already able to move. But, of course, mother still cannot feel these movements.

During the ultrasound, the heart rate of the embryo can be measured. Normal is 140-150 beats per minute. A system of blood vessels is created. The baby already has its own blood group.

Changes in the body of the expectant mother.

The main hormones responsible for the maintenance and development of pregnancy are progesterone and prolactin. It is because of the increase in their concentration that a woman has new sensations:

• drowsiness and fatigue;

• toxicosis;

• breast engorgement;

• change in taste preferences;

• special sensitivity to smells.

The condition of the skin may worsen: pimples, inflammation appear. Some pregnant women report sudden mood swings. Sudden tears, impressionability, irritability are normal in your position. Be patient with yourself, try to switch to other activities and get more rest.

Is a missed period a pregnancy?

Delayed menstruation is not considered a reliable sign of pregnancy, especially in those women whose menstrual cycle was marked by irregularity. Before you run to the doctor with joy or in a panic, you should wait at least 5-7 days (counting from the first day of the expected and not occurring menstruation). Then take a pregnancy test, taking into account all the rules. If the result is negative, it is recommended to repeat the test after 3, at least 1 day.

In addition to a positive test, other signs of pregnancy are possible:

• early toxicosis became more pronounced or just appeared;

• soreness of the chest, its engorgement and swelling;

• protrusion of the venous pattern on the mammary glands;

• skin problems (the appearance of acne, even if it did not exist before);

• increased vaginal discharge, they have become creamy and milky in color;

• pandiculation in the lumbar region and / or lower abdomen;

• constipation followed by diarrhea (the action of progesterone);

• drowsiness during the day, insomnia at night;

• sudden mood swings;

• possible fainting (as a sign of arterial hypotension);

• increased appetite or its complete absence (in case of toxicosis);

• tendency to edema (swelling of the face after the legs, slight swelling of the arms and legs);

• darkening of the white line of the abdomen and areola;

• basal body temperature is steadily elevated (above 37);

• the appearance of headaches and migraines;

• change in libido (strengthening or weakening).

To finally dispel doubts, you should visit a doctor. During a gynecological examination (even in the early stages of pregnancy), the doctor reveals the following signs that indirectly confirm the "interesting situation":

• darkening of the skin, up to dark brown, of the external genitalia;

• softening of the neck, changing its color from pale pink to cyanotic (bluish);

• softening of the uterus, some of its increase in the early stages is possible, and later the enlarged uterus is well palpated according to the timing of the delay (8 weeks - a female fist, 10 weeks - a male fist, and so on).

To establish the final diagnosis, the gynecologist will prescribe an ultrasound scan (preferably with a transvaginal sensor), and in controversial cases, he will recommend donating blood for hCG.

The first signs of pregnancy before the delay of menstruation.

When do the first signs of pregnancy appear? As already noted, not earlier than 7 days after sexual contact.

The following signs allow you to suspect pregnancy even before a missed period:

Implantation retraction.

This sign is determined by the graph of basal temperature, which is measured in the rectum. Only the woman who carefully and for a long time (at least 3 months) keeps a graph of the temperature curve is able to identify this sign.

On the eve of ovulation, the temperature drops by 0.2 - 0.4 degrees, but from the moment the egg leaves the follicle, the temperature rises sharply and becomes higher than 37 degrees. At this level, it lasts for about 12 - 14 days, and before the onset of menstruation, it begins to decline. Before the introduction of the egg into the endometrium, the production of progesterone decreases somewhat (after all, it is towards the end of the menstrual cycle), since the body is not yet aware of the fertilization that has occurred. But as soon as implantation has occurred and connections have been established between the fetal egg and the mother's body, the trophoblast begins to produce hCG, thanks to which the body is rebuilt to a pregnancy maintenance program. That is, the corpus luteum continues to produce progesterone, which supports the further growth and development of the embryo, and, accordingly, the basal temperature rises.

Later, after a delay in menstruation, the basal temperature exceeds 37 degrees and indirectly confirms pregnancy.

Implantation bleeding.

The process of introduction of the blastocyst into the thickness of the uterine mucosa may (but not necessarily) be accompanied by small bleeding. Blood discharge is due to the destruction of the walls of the vessels of the uterine mucosa. Do not expect obvious and too noticeable selections. There may be a bloody or pinkish discharge in the form of a couple of drops on linen or toilet paper. Implantation bleeding should be expected within 7 to 12 days from the date of sexual intercourse. If there were no “suspicious” discharges, this is not considered a pathology, just as it does not confirm or deny a possible pregnancy.

Feelings in the lower abdomen.

After implantation, the blood supply to the genital organs, in particular the uterus, changes. The blood flow to the pelvic organs, in particular to the uterus, increases significantly, which improves its blood supply and provides the fetus with nutrients and oxygen. Therefore, for many women, one of the first signs of pregnancy before a delay is a feeling of fullness in the lower abdomen. Light tingling and even sipping are also possible, which is not a pathology (after all, the uterus begins its increased growth).

For the same reason (increased blood flow in the pelvis), hemorrhoids may appear or worsen, or veins in the legs may appear (the first sign of varicose veins). Undoubtedly, hemorrhoids and varicose veins are more likely to occur in the second half of pregnancy, when the uterus is already of considerable size and compresses the inferior vena cava, but in multiparous people, these phenomena can appear very early, even before the delay.

Unstable emotional state.

Before the onset of the expected menstruation, most women, unaware of the new life that has arisen in them, become absent-minded and forgetful, or, on the contrary, too irritable and aggressive. Unexpected tears are suddenly replaced by laughter and vice versa. The reason for this is progesterone, which is produced to maintain pregnancy. But the lability of the psyche is quite possible with premenstrual syndrome, therefore, only those women who have had no PMS symptoms before can suspect pregnancy on the basis of this symptom.

Slight discomfort.

For a very short time, a woman may feel signs of a cold: mild malaise, fatigue, headache. A slight increase in body temperature is also possible, which, again, is associated with the action of progesterone on the thermoregulatory center. As soon as the embryo is fixed in the uterine wall and begins to actively "cooperate" with the mother's body, there is a decrease in immunity in the mother's body, which prevents the rejection of the fetal egg as a foreign body.

Feelings in the chest.

This symptom can also be attributed to the phenomena of PMS. From the moment of conception, sensations in the mammary glands change dramatically. That is, before a woman did not feel her breasts at all, but now the slightest touch to her breasts causes pain. Swelling and swelling of the breast is also noted.

Arterial hypotension.

A decrease in blood pressure is noted from the first days of pregnancy. Under the action of progesterone, the tone of smooth muscles decreases, including the muscle layer of the vascular wall, which leads to relaxation of the vessels and an increase in their diameter.

Frequent urination.

Urination from the first days of pregnancy becomes more frequent, but remains painless. This symptom is due to the action of the same progesterone, increased blood supply to the pelvic organs, including in the bladder and kidneys, which increases renal filtration and urine production. Pregnancy urination persists until the very birth (in later periods, frequent visits to the toilet also provoke pressure of the pregnant uterus on the bladder).

Signs of early toxicosis.

Nausea, perversion of taste and smell, intolerance to various odors, salivation - all these phenomena are related to early toxicosis, although they are also possible with a number of other diseases (poisoning, pathology of the digestive tract, infection). Symptoms of early toxicosis are not so often observed before the delay of menstruation, and even after the fact of pregnancy is established, not all women have.

Ultrasonography.

The conclusion after the ultrasound is another sign of early pregnancy. However, in too early terms, ultrasound cannot serve as a 100% guarantee, since the future embryo, until it has reached a certain size, the doctor may not notice. When performing this instrumental study, in addition to confirming pregnancy, the following indicators are revealed:

• localization of the fetal egg (in the uterus or in the tube, ovary, etc.);

• determination of the viability of the embryo (whether there is a heartbeat);

• the presence of the embryo itself in the fetal egg (detection of anembryony).

Pregnancy tests.

Such tests are an alternative to laboratory determination of hCG levels and are carried out at home. It is recommended to carry out the test no earlier than 4 - 5 weeks after coitus, that is, after a delay in menstruation. But it is possible to find out about pregnancy even earlier, even before the expected menstruation, subject to a long (35 days or more) menstrual cycle. The test is based on the detection of hCG in the urine.

Test rules:

• carry out a test with morning urine (morning urine is concentrated, and hence the content of hCG in it is higher);

• do not increase fluid intake if the test needs to be done during the day (urine is diluted and the hormone concentration is reduced);

• before performing the test, carefully study the instructions and act according to it;

• Do not use expired tests.

• 1 - 1.5 months ago there was an abortion, miscarriage or childbirth (hCG is not immediately excreted from the body);

• expired expiration date;

• treatment with hCG-containing drugs (pregnil, horagon);

• trophoblastic disease (hydatidiform mole, chorioncarcinoma).

A false negative result is also possible if:

• the test was performed too early (fertilization has occurred, but implantation has not yet taken place);

• the threat of abortion (the level of hCG in the blood drops);

• violation of test instructions;

• drinking a lot of liquid before the test;

• renal pathology;

• arterial hypertension.

In any case, after a negative result, the procedure should be repeated after a few days.

Diagnosis of pregnancy at an early stage.

Diagnosing pregnancy at the earliest possible date is quite difficult, since the first symptoms, which both a woman and a doctor can regard as an onset of pregnancy, are also possible with various pathologies. Disorders such as premenstrual syndrome, disruption of the endocrine organs, neuropsychiatric diseases, or an overdose of certain drugs are not excluded.

But if a happy moment has occurred, then the first signs of pregnancy, which confirm its presence, are laboratory and instrumental studies. Early signs of pregnancy are due to hormonal changes (the production of hCG and progesterone).

Of the laboratory methods confirming pregnancy, the determination of hCG in urine and blood serum is used. Determination of the level of hCG in the blood can be carried out 14-21 days after intercourse, when conception has already occurred, and the embryonic trophoblast begins to intensively synthesize hCG. An increase in the level of the hormone in the blood is determined in a special laboratory.

The process of conception: how does it happen?

Conception is a series of processes that follow after fertilization, as a result of which a new organism is born and continues to develop in the female body, that is, pregnancy occurs. Several factors precede the onset of pregnancy:

• Sexual intercourse between a man and a woman (without protective equipment).

• Fertilization.

After sexual contact, male sex cells (sperm) penetrate into the uterine cavity, from where they continue their way to the fallopian tubes. Fertilization occurs directly in the fallopian tube (one or both at once), where the sperm must meet the egg. For a successful meeting of the female germ cell and sperm, full ovulation is necessary. During ovulation, the main follicle ruptures in the ovary, from which a physiologically normal egg is released, ready for fertilization. Her path also lies in the direction of the fallopian tube. When several hundred million spermatozoa collide with an egg in the cavity of the tube, only one merges with it. A fertilized egg is called a zygote, which continues to move towards the uterus, at the same time splitting up, as a result of which more and more new cells of the future embryo appear.

This process is not yet a pregnancy, since a fertilized egg may die before reaching the uterine cavity, or, on the contrary, once it enters the uterus and fails to implant for any reason, it is expelled from the fetus along with menstrual flow. A similar phenomenon is called spontaneous interruption of biochemical pregnancy.

• Implantation.

As soon as a fertilized egg (now a blastocyst) enters the uterus, it begins to intensively penetrate into the thickness of the endometrium - to be implanted. At the same time, the uterine mucosa, under the influence of progesterone, continues to thicken and envelops the blastocyst around the entire circumference. A chemical and physical relationship is formed between the future embryo and the endometrium, the blastocyst trophoblast begins to synthesize chorionic gonadotropin, which causes the ovarian corpus luteum to continue to secrete progesterone, which is necessary for further prolongation of pregnancy. As a result, menstruation does not occur, and we can talk about the onset of pregnancy.

The time interval from the moment of sexual contact to implantation takes 7-12 days, so it is premature to talk about the first signs of pregnancy in the early stages of 1 week after intercourse.