5th week of pregnancy – baby’s development, changes in the body, tests and indications

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Your 5th week of pregnancy is just starting. If you did not know yet that fertilization took place, your suspicion was probably because of the lack of period. Meanwhile, this is the third week of development for your child. The small embryo already has the buds of its first organs, and your body is starting to make it clear that it is in an exceptional condition.

The 5th week of pregnancy is usually a breakthrough for women who have not planned a pregnancy. At its beginning, menstrual bleeding should appear, which is not due to the increase in the concentration of pregnancy hormones in the body. It is the absence of menstruation for many women that is the first symptom of pregnancy.

Even ladies who consciously try to conceive a child may not have known until now that conception has taken place. Although the concentration of chorionic gonadotropin in a woman’s body increases systematically throughout the 4th week of pregnancy, sometimes it is not until the beginning of the 5th week that it reaches the level detectable by a home pregnancy test.

Also, be aware that at the beginning of the 5th week you may experience some bleeding which may be mistaken for a menstrual period. This is called implantation bleeding and does not mean that your baby is in danger. This symptom does not occur in all pregnant women.

5th week of pregnancy – the most important information

The 5th week of pregnancy starts the second month of your baby’s development in your belly. When performing an ultrasound examination in the 5th week of pregnancy, a gestational sac ranging in size from 5 to 11 mm is visible. Sometimes, at the end of the 5th week, the embryo’s heart rate is observed. In this case, the heart rate is usually between 60 and 90 beats per minute. Interestingly, the heart rate will increase with each passing day. Below you will find a table with the biometric dimensions of the fetus:

The dimensions presented in the table above are average. It happens that in some cases the embryo is visible on ultrasound only when the gestational sac is over 20 mm in size. This situation does not mean that your pregnancy is not developing properly, so there is no need to worry.

The fifth week of pregnancy is the period when the three-lamellar embryonic disc is formed. During this time, the further development of the trophoblast, which is the basis for the formation of the chorionic membrane and the placenta, continues. The formed placental villi grow into the mucosa and merge with the mother’s capillaries. In the 5th week of pregnancy, capillaries of the fetal circulation appear in the villi.

5rd week of pregnancy – baby’s development

The embryo grows very quickly. It’s usually compared to a tadpole in a baby, but some say it’s more like a shrimp. The embryo has a disproportionately large head that is about one-half of the entire miniature body. There is also a distinct petiole. Looking at the fetus, you cannot yet see where the limbs form, but interestingly, you can already see where the baby’s eyes will develop.

This stage of its development is called organogenesis. As the name suggests, the first organs and systems are developing in your baby’s body. This is the moment when the tissue from which the brain will develop in the coming weeks begins to separate. It also forms a miniature heart that is no larger than a poppy seed.

The rest of the blood system is also slowly starting to form. At the end of the 5th week of pregnancy, blood vessels will appear in the placental villi that have grown into the endometrium and connect the bloodstream of the mother and baby.

The 5th week of pregnancy is also the time when the neural tube forms, i.e. a long fissure in the embryonic disc. It is there that the baby develops the nervous system in the next stages. For example, around the 33rd day of pregnancy, the so-called old cerebral cortex. Shortly thereafter, 5 vesicles of the brain will become visible in this structure.

In the 5th week of pregnancy, the embryo changes its shape, which in turn stimulates the cells to multiply. The clusters of cells shape the dorsal chord, which is the place around which the spine and spinal cord will form. In the next stage of development, the skeleton and muscles will be formed. In the 5th week of a baby’s life, the nuclei of the lungs, kidneys, pancreas and spleen are formed.

5st week of pregnancy – changes in your body

If you were not pregnant, you should have your period earlier this week. However, high levels of pregnancy hormones prevent the endometrium from exfoliating. For women who have not planned pregnancy, the absence of menstrual bleeding is often the first sign that conception has occurred. Your body is changing noticeably, and if your pregnancy test has not been positive so far, you should now see two clear lines on it – of course, this may not be as clear-cut in women with irregular periods. In the 5th week of pregnancy, the abdomen is not yet visible, but other characteristic symptoms appear.

Changes that can be noticed in the early stages of pregnancy are, for example, rounding the breasts and making them more sensitive to touch. Many women also notice a color change to their nipples to be slightly darker. In addition, in the 5th week of pregnancy, you may feel a metallic taste in your mouth.

The 5th week of pregnancy is often the first time you experience morning sickness. But don’t let the name fool you, morning nausea They can actually get you at any time, but usually it’s morning because it is at this time that the level of pregnancy hormones in a woman’s body is at its highest. Other gastrointestinal symptoms, such as decreased appetite and flatulence, are also associated with nausea.

Remember that if you are pregnant with multiple births, your symptoms may be more severe. This is because two embryos produce twice as much chorionic gonadotropin, and a real hormone storm is going on in the woman’s body.

The 5th week of pregnancy is also a time when you may feel increased fatigue. This is related, among other things, to the fact that your body currently has different priorities than usual – the kidneys, among others, are working with increased intensity, and this consumes energy. Unfortunately, many women in the first weeks of pregnancy also have trouble sleeping and feel irritable. Despite prolonged exhaustion, you are not able to properly rest.

A gentle change in your lifestyle may come in handy. Try to eat smaller meals, but more often, so that you keep pace constant blood sugar. Rest whenever you can, and don’t put it off until later, thinking that there is something else you need to do. A short walk can also relax you.

Most women in the 5th week of pregnancy begin to urinate more frequently. Initially, these are obviously minor changes. Despite this, you should not inhibit fluid intake and even reach for a glass of water more often. The baby’s bloodstream begins to merge with yours and from now on, the substances that are in your body will have an increased impact on them, so it’s worth taking care of proper hydration, and thus cleansing the body.

5th week of pregnancy – what is worth paying attention to?

In the 5th week of pregnancy, the mother’s body undergoes various changes that are not always pleasant and often cause discomfort. What is worth paying attention to at this time is primarily:

1. nausea – this is the most common symptom of pregnancy. More than 60% of pregnant women complain of nausea, which is most common in the morning. Nausea appears around the 5th week of pregnancy. Their intensity occurs on the 9th week of pregnancy, but they almost completely pass around the 12th week of pregnancy. Nausea is the result of high levels of chorionic gonadotropin. Nausea can also get worse because of the stress of missing your period. The structure of chorionic gonadotropin resembles TSH, which may stimulate the activity of thyroid hormone receptors, which contributes to malaise. In order to deal with nausea, it is worth to properly hydrate your body and drink up to 3 liters of fluids a day. Specialists recommend drinking ginger water as ginger relieves nausea and prevents vomiting;
2. gastroesophageal reflux – as a result of the action of progesterone, the peristalsis efficiency of the entire gastrointestinal tract is reduced. Accordingly, in pregnant women, there are flatulence, indigestion, as well as frequent belching. Food remains in the stomach, and due to the weaker sphincter function, the food content, together with hydrochloric acid and digestive enzymes, flows back into the esophagus. It is not uncommon then that the esophageal mucosa is irritated and there is a burning sensation in the chest area. In order to counteract reflux, it is worth taking care of a healthy diet. Consult a gastroenterologist who may recommend antacids if you have acid reflux. 

Do you want to know how the fetus develops in the trimesters of pregnancy? Read: Fetal development stages – XNUMXst, XNUMXnd and XNUMXrd trimesters of pregnancy

How to take care of yourself in the 5th week of pregnancy?

The 5th week is basically the very beginning of pregnancy, when it is worth taking care of yourself and your health. First of all, every woman who recognizes the first symptoms of pregnancy should immediately choose a gynecologist who will guide her pregnancy. This choice is very important for you to feel safe and comfortable.

Due to the fact that in the 5th week of pregnancy, the necessary organs and systems of the baby develop, it is necessary to take care of a healthy diet during this time. By creating your menu during pregnancy it is worth remembering about:

1. composing a diet rich in natural ingredients, including vegetables and fruits. Better to give up highly processed products;
2. giving up larger portions – no woman should overeat during pregnancy. Of course, it is not about extra pounds, but about increasing the risk of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure or edema;
3. hygiene and rules for preparing meals, i.e. heat treatment, washing products and proper storage of products;
4. reducing simple sugars;
5. eliminating alcohol.

Do you want to learn more about planning a menu during pregnancy? Check: Diet in pregnancy

Especially important in the 5st week of pregnancy

Don’t forget to take folic acid. In the 5th week of pregnancy, the baby’s nervous system also develops during organogenesis. J.If it runs out of folic acid at this stage, it can lead to neural cleavage, which is a serious developmental impairment. In order to ensure the right amount of this ingredient, it is worth taking it in the form of supplements. If you follow the dose recommended on the package, you will not overdose it and you will be sure that the embryo is getting enough acid.

If you have not yet decided which doctor will be treating you for the remaining eight months, the 5th week of pregnancy is a good time to choose one. If this is your first pregnancy and you don’t have experience with previous doctors, it’s best to ask your sister or friend for advice. The doctor, apart from having excellent qualifications, should also make you relaxed during the examination. They must also clearly answer your questions and clarify any doubts.

1. Learn about ways to treat stretch marks in pregnancy: Stretch marks in pregnancy – can you get rid of them?

Tests in the 5st week of pregnancy

If your pregnancy is not a high-risk pregnancy, there is no need to see a gynecologist at the beginning of the second month. An ultrasound examination performed at this stage will probably only visualize a few millimeter-long embryonic vesicles.

Due to the fact that the waiting period for an appointment can be up to several weeks, you can book an appointment now. You should visit the gynecologist for the first time between the 6th and 8th week of pregnancy. Although the Polish Gynecological Society recommends that a genetic ultrasound (detecting possible fetal defects) be performed between the 11th and 14th week of pregnancy, you can also do an ultrasound earlier to exclude the risk of ectopic pregnancy.

In the 5th week of pregnancy, the doctor should also recommend the following tests:

1. blood group and Rh factor test;
2. blood count;
3. general urine examination;
4. cytology;
5. fasting blood glucose test;
6. determination of the level of thyroid indicators TSH, fT3 and fT4;
7. testing for the presence of IgG and IgM antibodies against toxoplasmosis;
8. determination of IgG and IgM antibodies against CMV;
9. testing for the presence of IgG antibodies against rubella;
10. HIV testing;
11. testing for hepatitis C (HCV).

For more information on tests during pregnancy, see Pregnancy Testing

Exercises in the 5th week of pregnancy

Exercise during pregnancy is a good way to prepare yourself and your body for childbirth. Women experience fatigue very often in the first weeks of pregnancy. As it turns out, physical activity can give strength and strengthen the body. If you rarely decided to exercise before pregnancy, you can try short walks to start with. In addition, it is worth enrolling in gymnastics for pregnant women. During this period, it is also worth focusing on swimming, yoga or Pilates.

Find out more about the next weeks of pregnancy. Check:

1. 6th week of pregnancy
2. 7th week of pregnancy
3. 8th week of pregnancy

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