4 weeks pregnant

When is the 4th week of pregnancy - is it felt? What does the expectant mother feel? There are already a lot of questions at this time. After all, in the early stages, every day is important.

Calculations by different methods

When doctors work with pregnant patients, they don't go into details of ovulation and day of conception. The gestational age will be calculated by the obstetric method: from the first day of the last completed menstruation.

By the embryonic method, the term is considered from the presumptive ovulation and is two weeks "late" in comparison with the obstetric term.

Sometimes women consider the period from the moment of delay. Then the fourth week will mean the eighth obstetric or sixth embryonic. Is it easy to get confused? Then it's better to stick to a medical point of view... After all, the expectant mother will have to communicate with doctors quite often.

Details about the timing: how to calculate the timing correctly.

Fruit size: more than one cell

As soon as the sperm fertilizes the egg, the zygote begins to divide violently. If you think about it, it's a miracle. One single cell forms many others. They are completely different, and their roles are different. And each cell “knows” where it is and what to do.

If it's the 4th obstetric week, then it's too early to talk about the fetus. The zygote gradually passes into the embryonic stage. Now the unborn child is an almost invisible lump of cells, which scientists call a morula. Under the microscope, it will look like a berry covered with “pimples”. If the fixation of the morula in the uterine cavity has not yet occurred, it will certainly take place. And then the real cellular magic begins.

How does the embryo work?

The size of the future fetus at the 4th obstetric week is comparable to the "poppy seed"... His weight is about 0.5 g, and his height is 0.36-1 mm. However, this is literally momentary data. The embryo grows rapidly through constant cell division.

The structure of the embryo

Doctors often use the concept of the germinal disc, which is formed by the germ layers. These are special layers of cells:

the inner layer (endoderm) will give rise to the digestive tract, liver and lungs, as well as the pancreas;
the middle layer (mesoderm) is the future kidneys, muscles, heart and blood vessels, as well as the baby's skeleton;
the outer layer (ectoderm) is responsible for the formation of the nervous system, the head (including the eyes, teeth, and hair), and the skin.

Extraembryonic organs

It is also a miracle of nature that a single fertilized cell, when it divides, provides the baby with everything he needs. Including full meals. This is done by the so-called extraembryonic organs. There are three of them:

chorion: a kind of hairy sac that later becomes the placenta
the amnion is the future fetal bladder, a strong "packaging" of the fetus;
the yolk sac is a supply of food for the embryo.

The last extraembryonic organ is especially important. It is his dysfunction or pathology that can lead to miscarriage. According to the condition of the yolk sac, an ultrasound doctor will receive some important data about pregnancy and the embryo.

Scientists have established an interesting fact: it is mainly the male genes of the embryo that are “responsible” for the external embryonic organs. We can say that the function of the breadwinner and protector lies at the deepest levels of the human being.

Future mom

In the fourth obstetric week, a woman may still not know about anything.... The active development of the zygote in the female body can either give the first signs of pregnancy, or in no way affect the condition of the expectant mother.

Feel

If a woman is planning a pregnancy, she is full of expectations. The main question now is: did it work or not? In the 4th obstetric week, the mother's feelings are more emotional.

Physically, a woman may feel a little unwell.... Slight weakness, barely noticeable discomfort in the lower abdomen, drowsiness are possible. This condition is almost the same in early pregnancy and on the eve of menstruation.

But the sensitivity of the breasts and nipples can increase markedly. The mammary glands sometimes swell from the first days after conception. Also, by the end of the fourth week, the expectant mother may well have the first signs of early toxicosis. In this case, someone will simply empty the refrigerator, and someone will run to the store for something “tasty”, special. It may be the other way around: nausea will come, and you will not want to eat at all.

External changes

Even in the fourth week, a woman's waist can increase by 1-2 cm. If all the clothes are “tight-fitting”, the woman will definitely notice it. The main thing is to react correctly. If pregnancy is not planned, the expectant mother may not recognize her condition. Then she rushes to the gym or to a nutritionist. That is why it is important to have good quality protection. And if pregnancy is allowed, you need to be careful. Then even the smallest symptoms will give the correct clue.

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The mother-to-be may become a little “heavy”. Early weight gain is explained, like much else, by hormonal changes. It, in combination with early toxicosis, sometimes leads to a slight weight loss. If the expectant mother is feeling well at the same time, you should not worry.

Vaginal discharge

In the normal course of pregnancy, the next menstruation will not come. If, for some reason, the zygote cannot gain a foothold in the uterus, menstruation will come. In this case, they don't talk about miscarriage. Often women do not even know that they could become future mothers.

If pregnancy is confirmed, bleeding is an alarm. You should urgently consult a doctor.

Implant bleeding - These are very minor bloody or brown discharge. One or two smears are possible when the embryo is fixed in the uterine cavity.

The female body uses mucous secretions to create a special protective plug. She literally clogs the cervix and comes out normally only before childbirth.

The woman will have to be examined if the mucous discharge is unusual:

with an unpleasant odor;
yellow;
too abundant;
thick and white;
look like cottage cheese flakes.

Ways to confirm pregnancy

How soon will the expectant mother be convinced of her new condition? How long will you have to wait for the most correct result? It all depends on the method.

Pharmacy test: will it show or not?

Some modern tests are able to detect pregnancy even before the delay. Therefore, if the gestation period is 4 weeks, the test can be applied if there is no patience. Still, it's better to wait until the first day of your expected period. The result will be more reliable.

Ultrasound

At the beginning of the fourth obstetric week, research is unlikely to help. But in the end, a good specialist will already make out something on high-quality equipment. This will be the uterus with a thick layer of endometrium and the embryo - a small black dot. If a woman has previously had an ectopic pregnancy, a specialist doctor will definitely check the entire female system.

HCG blood test

The level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) increases during pregnancy. Therefore, a blood test at the end of the 4th week will help confirm that the conception was successful.

A visit to the doctor: is it time or can I wait?

Modern women are often very busy. Work, family life and hobbies are time-consuming. But now the expectant mother will have to take care of two at once.

It is still too early to get up in the fourth obstetric week. The pregnancy itself may not yet be confirmed. But if there is already a positive result, you can go for a consultation. What will the doctor do?

He will examine the woman and externally assess her general condition.
Collect primary data.
Prescribe a suitable vitamin complex and folic acid preparations.

If conception was planned and took place under the supervision of doctors, the woman will visit her doctor anyway. The doctor will confirm a successful conception and prescribe measures to preserve the pregnancy. This is especially important if the patient has already had miscarriages.

What to look for

It's amazing how many aspects of life have to be judged differently when pregnancy occurs. Special recommendations for expectant mothers should be adhered to as early as possible. If this has not happened before the 4th week, it's time to pay attention to a lot.

Nutrition

Completeness and balance: these are the main requirements... Fasting days are now in the past. And it is also advisable to give up canned food, semi-finished products and fast food.

When preparing meat dishes, it is important to ensure that there is no fat. Fish, on the other hand, can be eaten with fatty varieties. Is there a contradiction here? In fact, none. Fatty fish contains many useful organic acids, which are completely absent in animal fat. It should be noted: we are not talking about frying in oil. It's just that some species of fish live in cold seas and oceans, so they acquire a fat layer for their own heat. The most famous are salmon, trout and salmon.

If you want something sweet, then marshmallow or marshmallow is better than chocolate or cake..

Vegetables and fruits are indispensable components of the “pregnant diet”. They can be eaten fresh, boiled or stewed. Plus porridge and dairy products.

Expectant mothers often ask: what, now nothing “like that” is allowed? And if you really, to the point of faintness, you want sprat, chili compote or chips? If you approach dietary issues strictly, then the answer is only one: yes, nothing “like that” is really impossible. But if some kind of food, even “harmful”, will help the expectant mother to cope with nausea or cheer up, then why not? Only it is better to consume unwanted foods in micro doses. "Stretch out" a pack of chips for a week, and do not eat canned food with a tablespoon straight from the can.

There is only one absolute “taboo”: alcohol of the expectant mother is strictly contraindicated! It doesn't matter how many "degrees" are in the drink. All kinds of homemade liqueurs are also alcohol, albeit as natural as possible. The best strategy for a mom-to-be is to avoid alcohol altogether.

Food poisoning is dangerous for the unborn baby... Therefore, it is very important to secure your nutrition in the 4th week of pregnancy. There is no need to try exotic dishes and products at this time. The body may not accept them and react with a gastrointestinal disorder. And not only the expectant mother will suffer, but also the embryo. Right now, he is very unstable to any negative influences.

Protection from harmful factors

The body of an expectant mother can be very vulnerable. Some defense mechanisms are not yet formed in the 4th obstetric week. Therefore, it is very important:

quit smoking yourself and stay away from smokers;
carefully beware during epidemics of viral infections;
monitor your mood and allow only positive emotions into your life;
avoid sudden climate change.

Additional measures

Stretch marks can seriously ruin both the appearance of the skin and the mood of a woman. One of the skin protection measures is olive oil. It is recommended to rub it into problem areas even before the tummy begins to grow.

Pregnancy and sex

In the 4th obstetric week, the couple may not yet know that someone else has already been born. Therefore, the intimate life of future parents proceeds as usual.... Some women, after intimacy, feel an unpleasant heaviness in the labia.

If conception is planned and carried out under the supervision of a doctor, he may advise you to take a break from your sex life. This is especially important if a woman has previously had miscarriages. In rare cases, contractions of the uterus during orgasm can prevent the embryo from fully gaining a foothold in the uterine cavity.

In all other cases, with good health, the couple has no obstacles to sex. There is one psychological moment... Perhaps, over time, the intimate feelings of the expectant mother will change. She may feel awkward, uncomfortable, or simply fearful when intimate with her beloved man. It is highly advisable to warn your partner about this. The father-to-be must be ready and patient. With the slightest negative in her intimate life, a woman should not shut herself up, consider sex as a duty and obligation. The child's father will surely feel the tension. Without knowing the true cause, problems in family life are possible. And therefore - now mutual love, respect, attention and frankness are especially important.

Abortion

In the fourth obstetric week, the concept of miscarriage is rarely used. In most cases, a woman does not have time to accurately confirm pregnancy or even fully realize her condition. Therefore, for many, bleeding during miscarriage is equal to monthly.

Some symptoms may indicate a possible interruption.

The stomach hurts and pulls. This is pain, not mild discomfort.
Bleeding profuse, sometimes with clots.
Blood discharge is brown.

But even all of these signs do not always signal that a miscarriage has occurred or spontaneous abortion.

Termination of pregnancy can also be intentional. Every woman has a right to this. However, the decision must be responsible. Nothing can be done in a state of a nervous breakdown, out of fear, or in retaliation for someone. Modern medicine tries to spare women under any circumstances. But the unfavorable physical and psychological consequences of abortion have not yet been canceled.