From this point on, you and your baby are one. Whatever you do, your baby comes with as your guest. The first week is actually your menstrual period. Because your EDD is calculated from the first day of your last period, this week counts as part of your 40-week pregnancy even though your baby hasn't been conceived yet.

Your body will be going through many changes, During pregnancy, your healthy habits and your baby's health go hand in hand. While planning to conceive, take the time to prepare your body for motherhood. If you have not already taken the step before pregnancy to stop your bad habits, you MUST: Avoid alcohol, drugs, and tobacco products. These substances can cause birth defects, fetal alcohol syndrome, respiratory problems, low birth weight, and other health problems. Disucss with your doctor about any prescription drugs you are taking. You'll need to take extra special precautions with medication because many prescription and over-the-counter medications can adversely affect the fetus. For example, isotretinoin, an acne medication, must be discontinued well in advance of pregnancy.

Some other common medicines that your doctor may tell you to avoid include aspirin and pain relievers with acetaminophen; antidepressants; antihistamines; antibiotics, such as streptomycin and tetracycline; anticoagulants, which are used to treat clotting disorders; and anticonvulsants, which are used to treat seizure disorders. But never stop taking prescription drugs without consulting your health care provider - he or she will help you weigh potential benefits and risks to discontinuing your prescription. Maintain a diet that contains an adequate amount of vitamins, especially folic acid.

Women who are attempting to become pregnant should take at least 0.4 to 0.8 milligrams of folic acid a day. Adequate folic acid intake reduces the risk of neural tube defects (birth defects caused by incomplete development of the brain or spinal cord), such as spina bifida. If you are still trying toi conceive talk to your health care provider about taking a folic acid supplement.

Your baby's sex is determined at the moment of fertilization, which may occur at the end of this week. Out of the 46 chromosomes that make up your baby's genetic material, two chromosomes - one from the sperm and one from the egg - determine the baby's sex. Every egg has an X chromosome; a sperm can have either an X or a Y chromosome. If the sperm has an X chromosome, you'll have a girl; if the sperm has a Y chromosome, your baby will be a boy. Although your baby was just conceived, he or she is already working overtime. The fertilized egg goes through a process of division. Thirty hours after fertilization, it divides into two cells, then four cells, then eight, and it continues to divide as it moves from the fallopian tube to the uterus. By the time it gets to the uterus, this group of cells numbers 32 and is called a morula. One week after fertilization, there are 250 cells.

Your uterine lining, which will nourish the baby, is just starting to develop, and Your body secretes follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), which stimulates an egg to mature. At the end of this week, the egg will be released into the fallopian tube. You are now at the midpoint of your menstrual cycle (if you have a regular 28-day cycle), ovulation, and you're most likely to conceive. If you have sexual intercourse without protection during this week, you can become pregnant. After your partner ejaculates, millions of sperm travel from the vagina to the fallopian tube, where your egg is waiting. An enzyme is released that allows one sperm to penetrate the egg, and fertilization takes place. During fertilization, the genetic material of the sperm and the egg are combined. You are now pregnant - although Your Body is not yet letting you know that you are.

It is beginning to sound like a mystery novel as the birth journey is begining......for more insight on the journey visit the links below