3 weeks pregnant
At 3 weeks pregnant the fertilised egg is travelling to your womb and starts to implant in its lining. Most women don't notice anything yet, though a few have light spotting called implantation bleeding.
What's happening in week 3
The fertilised egg divides into a ball of cells called a blastocyst as it moves down the fallopian tube. About 6 to 10 days after ovulation, it reaches the womb and begins to burrow into the lining. The outer cells will form the placenta and start making hCG, the hormone pregnancy tests detect.
Possible symptoms at 3 weeks
- Light spotting or pink or brown discharge (implantation bleeding), lighter than a period
- Mild cramps
- Tender breasts
- Often, nothing at all
What to do now
Keep taking folic acid and avoid alcohol and smoking. It's too early for most tests, so wait until the day your period is due. If you have one-sided pain, shoulder-tip pain or heavy bleeding, see a doctor. Read about implantation bleeding and early signs of pregnancy.
Working out your dates
Use our due date calculator once you know the first day of your last period, or the how many weeks pregnant am I calculator.
Questions about being 3 weeks pregnant
Can a pregnancy test be positive at 3 weeks?
Occasionally, with a very sensitive test at the very end of week 3, but most tests won't turn positive until around the day your period is due, at about 4 weeks.
What does implantation bleeding look like?
Light pink or brown spotting that lasts a few hours to 2 days. It's much lighter than a period, and many women don't have it at all.