Even though you're not pregnant yet, it's important to take folic acid because it helps prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

An ovulation predictor kit can help you identify the days when sex (or insemination) is most likely to lead to pregnancy.

Ovulation typically happens in the middle of your menstrual cycle. You're most fertile during the three days leading up to it.

Baby development at 2 weeks

Getting ready to grow a baby

During the past few days, an increase in estrogen and progesterone prompted the lining of your uterus to thicken to support a fertilized egg. At the same time, in your ovaries, eggs were ripening in fluid-filled sacs called follicles.

Your baby at 2 weeks Tap the plus for more details

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Fertilization

An egg is released

Once you ovulate, an egg erupts from its follicle and is swept from your ovary into a fallopian tube. (Ovulation doesn't necessarily occur right in the middle of your cycle. For example, it could happen any time between days 9 and 21 for women with a 28-day cycle.)

Your body at 2 weeks Tap the plus for more details

The journey of the sperm

During the next 24 hours, that egg will be fertilized if one of the nearly 250 million sperm in an ejaculation manages to swim from your vagina through your cervix, up through your uterus into the fallopian tube and penetrate the egg. About 400 sperm survive the 10-hour journey to the egg, but it's usually only one that succeeds in burrowing through its outer membrane.

The genes combine

During the next 10 to 30 hours, the sperm's nucleus merges with the egg's and they combine their genetic material. If the sperm carries a Y chromosome, your baby will be a boy. If an X chromosome, you'll be carrying a girl. The fertilized egg is called a zygote.

Implantation

The egg takes three or four days to travel from the fallopian tube to your uterus, dividing into 100 or more identical cells along the way. Once it enters the uterus, it's called a blastocyst. A day or two later, it will begin burrowing into the lush lining of your uterus, where it continues to grow and divide.

Pregnancy symptoms during week 2 Ovulation symptoms You're not pregnant yet, but you may be able to detect signs that you're ovulating. Learning how to identify ovulation symptoms can help you plan when to have sex if you want to get pregnant. Watch out for these ovulation symptoms. Slippery cervical mucus Cervical mucus is the vaginal discharge you sometimes find in your underwear. In the days around ovulation, it'll be clear, slippery, and stretchy (like raw egg whites). Mild cramping Some women notice mild cramps or twinges of pain in the abdomen, or a one-sided backache, around the time of ovulation. This is known as mittelschmerz – German for "middle pain." Sexy feelings You may feel flirty and your body odor may even be more attractive to men around the time you're fertile. Strong smells If odors are suddenly more intense, it may be your body's way of helping you home in on male pheromones. Tender breasts Hormonal changes around ovulation may make your breasts feel a bit full or sore. Cervical changes During ovulation, your cervix is softer, higher, wetter, and more open. You can feel these changes if you reach inside your vagina with a finger to examine your cervix, though you may have to check it daily to recognize the differences. A boost in your basal body temperature (BBT) You can use a special thermometer to take your BBT every morning. On the day after you ovulate, it goes up a bit and stays elevated until your next period.