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Week 5
How Big is the Baby at Five Weeks
Pregnant?
Pregnancy week 5 isn't much different from pregnancy
week 4. During 5 weeks pregnant your baby is still just over a millimeter long.
You might say that your baby is about the size of a small grain of rice! However
your baby is growing in many other ways. Vital organs continue to develop
through this week.
Your Baby's Growth
and Development
During the early part of this pregnancy at 5 weeks
the central nervous system, muscles, bones and even the heart will begin to
form. Early skeletal development is also possible at or around pregnancy week 5.
Remember that every person is unique, thus their baby will develop at a
different rate from others.
Perhaps the most interesting changes that
are occurring during 5 weeks pregnant include those happening in the heart.
During this week the heart will begin to divide into separate chambers and start
pumping blood. The heart is formed from the middle layer of cells called the
mesoderm. Other organs that will develop from this layer include the muscles,
cartilage and bone.
The primitive placenta and umbilical cord are also
developing. The neural tube starts developing in the top layer of cells called
the ectoderm. The skin, hair, nails and sweat glands will also develop out of
this layer of cells. The lungs, intestines, thyroid and pancreas also develop
from a third layer of cells called the endoderm.
Your Growth and Development
You will
still be pretty small during pregnancy at 5 weeks.. An onlooker will not be able
to detect that you are pregnant for several more weeks. Some women, particularly
moms who have given birth before, have reported that they notice more bloating
in their abdomen during pregnancy at 5 weeks and during other early weeks. This
is also a common menstrual symptom. Many women assume that their periods are
simply late and that they are bloated because of it!
Early Pregnancy Complications
Sometimes
things go wrong with a pregnancy. Occasionally a woman will experience an
ectopic pregnancy. This happens when the fertilized egg implants outside of the
uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. There is an even smaller chance that the
egg will implant around the ovary or cervix, though this is very rare. Ectopic
pregnancies generally occur in about 1 out of every 100 pregnancies. Your risk
might be increased if you have ever experienced pelvic inflammatory disease or
some other infection that might have damaged your fallopian tube. Women who have
had a previous ectopic pregnancy are more likely to experience a recurrence than
those who have not.
The primary signs of an ectopic pregnancy include:
vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, nausea. Some of these symptoms however mimic
ordinary pregnancy symptoms, so it is sometimes difficult to diagnose. The best
way to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy is to measure the levels of human chorionic
gonadotropin or HCG in the blood. This is a hormone produced during pregnancy
that generally doubles approximately every 2 days.
When HCG levels do
not increase normally an ectopic pregnancy might be suspected. Ultrasound can
also help diagnose an ectopic pregnancy.
If you are diagnosed with an
ectopic pregnancy your physician may require you undergo surgical treatment.
Your doctor will want to perform surgery before any damage is done to your tube,
which can affect your fertility in the future.
Other complications may
include a blighted ovum or a molar pregnancy. A blighted ovum occurs when the
fertilized egg implants but the embryo stops developing or isn't developing at
all. It typically results in a miscarriage. A molar pregnancy occurs when the
fertilized egg is abnormal from the time of conception. Usually the egg will not
develop into an embryo or will develop abnormally so that it can't survive.
Molar pregnancies occur in about one out of every 1,000 pregnancies. A molar
pregnancy will usually require a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal
tissue.
Most women will go on to have normal pregnancies. While it is
difficult not to worry about potential complications, it is important that you
adopt a healthy attitude. The more you relax and enjoy the changes in your body,
the more likely things will go well for you. If you do notice any abnormal
symptoms however, including continuous bleeding after a positive pregnancy test,
be sure to contact your healthcare provider immediately.
Changes in You
You may or may not start realizing some changes at
5 weeks pregnant. Some women will start feeling nauseous at or around the fifth
or sixth week of pregnancy. Some women will also start noticing other early
signs of pregnancy such as a need to urinate more frequently, or tingling and
soreness in the breasts.
Morning sickness may start by pregnancy week
five but probably won't set in for a few more weeks. Morning sickness is
actually a misnomer. The nausea that is associated with pregnancy can come at
any time of the day, morning or night. Some women are plagued with morning
sickness during their entire pregnancies, though most morning sickness gets
better after the first trimester. The good news is there are many things you can
do to help alleviate morning sickness as you follow your pregnancy week by week.
Try keeping some crackers and fizzy or seltzer water close by the bed and snack
on some before you get up in the morning.
Morning sickness is often
worse on an empty stomach. Other women find sipping some ginger tea or lemon
water helps relieve nausea. Another remedy is supplementation with extra B-6.
Before you try any remedies for morning sickness or any other symptom of
pregnancy, be sure you consult with your healthcare provider. There are many
herbs that can be dangerous to you or your developing baby when pregnant. When
in doubt always err on the side of safety.
Health Tip
Many women will decide to
keep their pregnancies private until after the 12th week. This is because the
chance of miscarriage is greatest during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Whether or not you decide to share the news about your pregnancy is up to you
and your partner. Many women find great relief in sharing their joyous news with
friends and family members. That way if something does go wrong, they will also
have the support of their loved ones at this time. Others prefer to keep things
private.
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to revealing your
pregnancy. When you do decide to share the news, do so with pomp and
circumstance. Most women will only be pregnant one or a few times in their life.
It is always fun to share the news in a memorable way.
You might decide
for example to purchase a new baby outfit or two to surprise your partner or
loved ones with. Some women wait until their first prenatal visit, where they
will often get to take home the first picture of their newborn via a
trans-vaginal ultrasound. Do what is right for you, but enjoy the process when
you do! Having a baby should be a memorable and joyous occasion for everyone!
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