5 weeks pregnant

The 5th week of pregnancy can pass almost unchanged in a woman's life. Many sensations and clear signs of pregnancy are still ahead. Or vice versa, they begin to show themselves. But the embryo develops at an unprecedented rate. The time is coming when the expectant mother and baby will especially need care.

Methods for calculating the term

In medical practice, the obstetric method of counting is adopted, from the first day of the last menstruation. An alternative method, the embryonic one is “late” in the determination of the period by two weeks, because it is counted from the middle of the cycle.

Some expectant mothers determine the period from the delay of menstruation. But this is rather a term of awareness. Therefore, we count the weeks on a par with the doctors - it will be more convenient.

If it is the 5th week from conception, then this is the 7th obstetric week. The fifth week from the delay equals the 9th from a medical point of view.

We read: Details about calculating the timing of pregnancy.

5th week: how do you know what's going on?

In the fifth obstetric week, something important can happen. Right now, a woman can find out about her new state. There comes a delay in menstruation, and the most impatient listen to themselves and arrange various checks.

Pregnancy test

Finally, you can use the pharmacy test! Some of them are designed to be used even on the eve of a missed period, but the result is not always accurate. But now everything will be according to the instructions. There are several nuances.

The morning check will give the most complete result.
Don't “hypnotize” the test by sitting in the toilet. Put the “stick” in the box and wait a while. There were cases when the second strip did not appear immediately.
Even modern tests can be wrong. For complete confidence, it is recommended to repeat the test 1-2 more times with an interval of 1-2 days.

Ultrasound

It is advisable to do this research shortly after the “two stripes” in three cases:

a miscarriage occurred in a previous pregnancy;
the woman was previously diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy;
the expectant mother feels sharp abdominal pain or noticed bloody or brown discharge.

What will the specialist see?

The scan will show the presence / absence of inflammatory processes in a woman, the general readiness of the uterus and the place of attachment of the embryo (after all, pregnancy can be ectopic). At the end of the fifth week, it is even possible to hear the beating of a nascent heart. The embryo itself, in most cases, will look like a light point. And if the pregnancy is multiple? Most likely, this will become clear too!

Blood test for hCG level

This study will fully confirm the onset of pregnancy. However, if the level of hCG in the blood first increases and then decreases again, this signals an ectopic embryo anchorage.

A clear sign of pregnancy or? ..

Rumors, gossip and the Internet are rich sources of all kinds of information, sometimes fantastic. For example, there is such a "test": you need to lie on your stomach on the table. If at the same time there is a “pulse” in the abdomen, it means that the pregnancy has come.

Let's make a reservation right away: at solid stages of pregnancy, there is really a pulsation on the surface of the tummy. It coincides with the beating of the mother's heart and is explained by the strong, powerful blood flow.

However, of the pieces of furniture in the early detection of pregnancy, only a gynecological chair or a couch of an ultrasound specialist will help. Lying on your home desk is not a type of diagnosis.

What does the expectant mother feel?

Feelings of a pregnant woman in the 5th obstetric week can be described as follows: a lot or nothing. Now everything is individual to the limit.

Emotions

Typical emotional sensations include:

irritability comes on for any reason, as if everyone around had conspired to cause trouble;
any little thing can cause tears (joy or sadness): a movie, a baby in a stroller, and so on;
the mood changes constantly and unpredictably.

Woman body

And physical sensations sometimes do not lag behind:

constantly want to sleep;
Difficulty concentrating
every now and then fatigue rolls over;
chest as if pouring;
the first signs of toxicosis appear (about them in detail - just below).

A phenomenon such as a runny nose of pregnant women or increased salivation may also appear. This indicates a change in the state of some mucous membranes. If you have a stuffy nose, check for a cold. If there are no alarming symptoms, then the increased secretion of the mucous membranes will simply have to endure.

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If the expectant mother planned to conceive, these signs will help to understand: everything worked out! In other cases, a woman may still not think about her new state. This happens especially often when the menstrual cycle is unstable or too long.

As for the "pregnant tummy", then for a period of five weeks it is still far from it. But slight weight gain or slight weight loss is quite possible.

Objective symptoms

At the end of the fifth week, an experienced gynecologist will be able to confirm pregnancy when examining a woman. Now the main symptoms for a specialist are a delay in menstruation and a noticeable increase in the uterus. Of course, if there are still no ultrasound data, a pregnancy test or an analysis for the level of hCG.

The woman herself can note two interesting phenomena. Their reason is hormonal changes in the body. First, her nipples may darken slightly. Secondly, a thin strip on the abdomen, which runs from the navel to the pubis, appears a little more clearly. However, this “thread” may not be noticed on tanned skin.

How is the development of the fetus going?

If the gestation period is 5 weeks, then we are still talking about the embryo. It has already passed some stages of its development:

zygotes (the only cell that divides rapidly);
morula (an embryo is like a lump of cells);
blastocysts (microscopic appearance of a bubble).

Your baby is like

Rapid cell division continues. By the end of the fifth week, the size of the future fetus can reach 1.5 mm, and its weight will be about 1 g.

The fertilized egg contains a real miracle within itself. This is a tiny body, on which the bumps are already visible in the place of the head, limbs and even fingers. In place of the ears, pits appear, a mouth gap is outlined, as well as eyes. Now the formation and development of blood vessels continues in full swing. The unborn baby already has its own blood type!

Since last week the baby has already "decided" on the sex, in the 5th obstetric week, the laying of special germ cells - future sperm and eggs - takes place. What else is formed in the embryo?

The skin thickens and becomes two-layered.
The airway and the alimentary tube are separated.
The formation of the thyroid gland begins.
The neural tube prepares to become tissues of the spine and spinal cord.
The formation of the urinary and intestinal systems "starts".

And another important process takes its beginning in the fifth week: the formation of the placenta. Through the baby's seat and the umbilical cord, the unborn child will receive nutrients through the mother's blood until the very birth and get rid of decay products.

At the end of the fifth week, the heart of the future baby begins to beat. At first, his blows are uneven, as if it tests strength. But very soon this tiny organ will start working in full force.

We watch a video about fetal development at 5-6 weeks:

Toxicosis of pregnant women

Even for short periods, many expectant mothers are faced with pregnancy toxicosis. This is not a disease, but a special condition. It shows that the body is trying to enter a new regime.

Nausea is the most common symptom. It often leads to vomiting. On the one hand, it gets easier for a while. On the other hand, the expectant mother at this time may be at work or on public transport.

In the morning it is advisable to have breakfast before getting out of bed. If for some reason there is no one to serve breakfast, you can put a bottle of water (fruit drink, juice) or a thermos with tea, as well as an apple, banana or other fruits or vegetables next to the bed. After eating, you should not jump up right away, it is better to allow yourself a few minutes of rest.

In case of trouble on public transport, it is helpful to carry a drink or food to combat nausea. It could be a favorite fruit, a piece of cheese, or a cookie. And in the most extreme case - a paper or plastic bag, as well as napkins. After all, it is not always possible to jump out of a subway car, a bus or a minibus.

The issue of food with toxicosis is also a special phenomenon. The expectant mother may suddenly stop liking her favorite salad, but the best food in the world will be salted fish. But this is not so bad. What if a woman wakes up at night and realizes that life has no meaning without a handful of strawberries? It is good if there is a prepared and selfless husband and a 24-hour supermarket nearby. If not, there is only one way out - to be distracted. You can do some hobby, “climb” on social networks and various Internet forums, or examine the refrigerator for a substitute for food passion.

Sensitivity to smells often becomes a problem. At this time, it is better to give up visiting perfumery boutiques and bypass household departments and showcases with finished products in supermarkets. It is impossible to predict which scent will make the expectant mother suffer.

Regardless of the type of toxicosis, there are several basic recommendations.
Remember, this is not permanent. In a few weeks, the current problems will go away;
Explain to your husband / partner, children and other household members what toxicosis in pregnant women is;
Give yourself joy. Buy new earrings or other jewelry, a blouse (after all, the tummy will not appear tomorrow), a book.

Cause for alarm

Are there any periods during pregnancy? No. After fertilization of the egg and the fixation of the zygote in the uterine cavity, menstrual bleeding stops. Therefore, any traces of blood on underwear or panty liners should alert you. It doesn't matter if the discharge is brown or bright red. The most dangerous sign is true bleeding, similar to menstruation. All symptoms may indicate a threatened miscarriage. There is only one option in all cases - an urgent visit to a doctor.

You need to visit a specialist in another case if the vaginal discharge does not contain traces of blood, but at the same time they:

abundant;
look like cottage cheese;
bright yellow;
have an unpleasant odor.

Is pregnancy painful? Minor discomfort is tolerated. Like many other sensations, it occurs due to hormonal changes. But if your stomach really hurts, you need a doctor. Sometimes there seems to be no pain as such, but it seems that the stomach is pulling. If this obsessive sensation lasts a long time and borders on pain, a doctor will be needed here as well.

You should not independently analyze your condition and self-medicate. The expectant mother and baby need real medical help.

Birth is still so far away, and many dangers already lie in wait for the tiny creature inside the mother. Unfortunately, pregnancy complications are possible even at 5 weeks.

Frozen pregnancy

It so happens that the development of the embryo stops. In some cases, the uterus does not reject the ovum. This condition is called pregnancy fading. It may go away without symptoms or with mild brown vaginal discharge. Measures to confirm a frozen pregnancy and remove the ovum are taken only by a doctor.

Miscarriage

Doctors-gynecologists call the fifth obstetric week among the most dangerous in terms of spontaneous abortion. A miscarriage can have several reasons that do not depend on the woman:

hormonal disorders;
genetic defects of the embryo;
hyperreaction of immunity;
infections (rubella, measles, flu, herpes);
chronic diseases of internal organs.

As sad as it sounds, in some cases, termination of pregnancy is a blessing. If a woman's body did not defend itself in this way, some pathologies would lead to the birth of unviable children or complete disabled people.

However, there are other negative factors that could have been avoided:

stressful conditions;
lifting and carrying weights;
strong overheating as a result of visiting a bath, sauna, beach;
abuse of medicinal and vitamin preparations;
rough, aggressive sex;
previous abortions.

It is important for an expectant mother to be responsible. Otherwise, the little man will never be born.

Abortion

Termination of pregnancy can be arbitrary. If pregnancy is completely unacceptable, there must be quality and reliable contraception. Unfortunately, many adolescents and often even adults are very careless about preventive measures. There are those who believe that abortion is nonsense, a trifling operation, after which a woman will very soon “get up and move on”.

Intervention in nature and the human body, especially women, is never trivial. The most likely consequences of an abortion:

guilt;
emotional instability;
stress - from minor to severe;
discomfort and pain in the abdomen;
various disorders of well-being.

Any woman decides for herself - to give birth or not. But this decision is made for two. It must be objective and responsible in all respects.

What else is important

The main recommendations for every expectant mother relate to three aspects: nutrition, health care and lifestyle.

Nutrition

A pregnant woman should have enough protein in her diet. Lean meat and fatty fish will provide it. Why should fish be oily? It contains important food acids.
Fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as dried fruits, should make up about a third of the total diet.
Those with a sweet tooth should give preference to marshmallows, marmalade and pastille.
Porridge and fermented milk products are a must.
Various soda, chewing gum are prohibited.
Alcohol is categorically contraindicated for the expectant mother. Since it is in the fifth week that women often learn from pregnancy, now is the time to forget about alcohol.

Health

It's time to quit smoking. Sometimes this is difficult to do right away. Still, giving up cigarettes should happen as quickly as possible. Secondhand smoke is also dangerous.
If you have a cat or dog at home, you need to entrust the care of them to someone in the household. The most beloved "animal" may be a carrier of toxoplasmosis. This disease is very dangerous for the unborn baby.
You cannot lift weights.
After confirming pregnancy with a test, you need to visit a doctor and take directions for blood and urine tests. Now you need to especially monitor your condition. In addition, the doctor will prescribe special drugs: vitamin and folic acid.

Lifestyle

There is no need to start renovating an apartment or actively participate in summer cottage agricultural work. Excessive exercise can lead to pregnancy complications.
If the expectant mother works in difficult working conditions, the doctor must give a certificate of pregnancy. The employer is obliged to provide a pregnant employee with a workplace without harmful factors.
Good sleep and, if possible, rest during the day are especially important.
If there is no threat of miscarriage or some unpleasant sensations, intimate life can remain at the same level. However, rough sex should be avoided. If fear or discomfort occurs during intercourse, you must warn your partner. A rare couple manage to completely avoid changes in the intimate sphere throughout their pregnancy.Openness between parents-to-be will avoid complications: misunderstandings, quarrels and mutual grievances.

The expectant mother needs a lot to know and do. Then the fifth week of pregnancy will be excellent.

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