Every day the baby in the womb grows and develops. In the early stages of his embryonic life, very interesting anatomical changes begin to occur.
How long is it?
By the 6th obstetric week of pregnancy, a small embryo has been developing for a whole month. This time corresponds to 4 weeks from the date of conception.
The difference in these terms is due to the choice of a different counting system. Gynecologists and other doctors use the terms "Midwife month" and "midwife week".
The calendar counting from the moment of conception is somewhat different: it will be less than the obstetric period. In order not to get confused, during pregnancy, expectant mothers need to use the same terminology that doctors use.
What's going on with the baby?
By this period of intrauterine life, the baby is still very small. However, it is actively growing: at this time, many important processes of formation and laying of internal organs, which are called organogenesis, take place.
This biological process is gradual. The first trimester is the main period of organogenesis. The initial laying of internal organs occurs during this period. Their final development will take several more weeks, and for some even months.
A developing baby contributes to the fact that the expectant mother has various sensations and symptoms in the body. The physiology of the female body changes significantly during pregnancy. Symptoms may vary during first and subsequent pregnancies.
Fetal development
At the sixth week, the small embryo is actively growing and developing. A thin layer of skin covers the outside of the embryo.
One of the most important anatomical structures of pregnancy is the corpus luteum. It is present in the female body throughout the entire period of increased chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Doctors note that in some cases it can persist even before the prenatal period.
In the sixth week, the child's main internal anatomical structures continue to form actively. So, in the embryo, the most important elements of the nervous system begin to form. By the sixth week of pregnancy, the structural elements of the brain and spinal column begin to form. The final development of these anatomical structures will occur somewhat later.
The embryo also begins to form cartilage tissue. Gradually, the foundations are laid for the formation of cartilages, bones and tendons. In the future, the spine will continue to form and assume the correct functional position.
By this period of pregnancy, nerve analyzers, eyes and ears begin to form. They will fully function, of course, much later. Also, by this period of pregnancy, the main organs of the digestive and respiratory systems begin to form: the rudiments of the liver, lungs, stomach, and pancreas begin to form.
In the sixth week of pregnancy, the embryo begins to form the rudiments of the genital organs. The sex of the baby can be found out a little later, when the sexual characteristics are already finally formed.
By this time, the first structural elements of the handles and legs also begin to form. They are located on the sides of the thoracic region of the trunk of a small embryo and look like small bumps. In embryos of this embryonic age, tails and gill slits disappear. Gradually, the baby begins to take on a real "human" appearance.
An important feature of this period of pregnancy is the beginning of the laying of the organs of the immune system. At this time, the thymus gland begins to form, which in the future will be an important participant in childhood immunity.
In order for a small embryo to grow and develop fully, it needs nutritional components. He gets them with the help of an important pregnancy organ called the umbilical cord.
Blood vessels pass inside the umbilical cord. A common blood flow system functions between mom and baby throughout pregnancy. Thanks to this, the baby receives all the necessary nutrients and oxygen, which are important for his life.
In a baby of this embryonic age, the umbilical cord, attached to the tail, begins to move to the tummy. This is necessary so that the process of intrauterine development proceeds optimally, and the baby's nutrition is not disturbed.
An equally important organ of pregnancy is the placenta. As the embryo grows, the size of the “baby seat” also increases. By this period of pregnancy, the placenta gradually begins to attach to the walls of the uterus. Important changes begin to occur in the cardiovascular system of the embryo at this stage of pregnancy. So, cardiac activity begins to manifest. The heart of the embryo in the sixth week of pregnancy is still very small: its size is about 0.5 cm.
Such features of the baby's cardiovascular system also determine that the first signs of a heartbeat appear. You can determine them during an ultrasound examination.
In order to assess how well a child's heart is functioning, doctors use a special clinical indicator. It is called heart rate or heart rate. To determine it, the number of beats of the baby's heart is determined within one minute. All obtained values are necessarily recorded in the conclusion of the ultrasound examination, and later in the medical documentation.
Fetal heart rate is a variable clinical indicator during pregnancy. In each period of pregnancy, there are certain norms for the value of this criterion for the vital activity of the fetus.
It is very important that the number of beats of the baby's heart is within the normal range. This indicates that the baby's body does not experience discomfort. Doctors will continue to measure the baby's heart rate until the end of pregnancy.
If the number of heart beats exceeds the age norm, then this clinical condition is called tachycardia. If the heart rate decreases, doctors talk about the presence of bradycardia.
Experts note that Normal heart rate values at 6-7 weeks are 110-130 beats in 60 seconds. For example, if the embryo at this time has a heart rate of 156-160 beats per minute, then in such a situation, tachycardia will be established at the sixth week of pregnancy.
If, during an ultrasound examination, an ultrasound specialist has identified any irregularities in the heart rhythm, then he will definitely make a note of this in his conclusion. In such a situation, the expectant mother should consult with her obstetrician-gynecologist.
The doctor will be able to assess why the embryo has such cardiac abnormalities. Also, the doctor will make a set of recommendations for the pregnant woman on the daily regimen and, possibly, prescribe drug therapy to normalize the condition.
What does a child look like?
In order to determine the appearance of the embryo, various diagnostic methods are used. You can "see" a baby at this stage of pregnancy using the ultrasound method. This examination is widespread in medical practice. Hundreds of thousands of expectant mothers undergo such an examination every day.
Ultrasound can be performed in several ways. In the early stages of pregnancy, as a rule, doctors prefer the transvaginal method. In this case, the doctor conducting the research can better examine the embryo and all fetal components.
There are a number of contraindications for the transvaginal method. If they are identified, the doctor will recommend choosing the transabdominal method, when the examination is carried out through the anterior abdominal wall.
Many pregnant women are interested in the question of whether they need any special training before conducting an ultrasound examination in order to better visualize the baby. No, such preparation is not required at all.
Early pregnancy is a very important time for an ultrasound scan. It is very important that at this stage of the intrauterine development of the baby, the study is carried out by an experienced and qualified specialist. In this case, the result of the ultrasound examination will be more reliable. The doctor must be able to conduct research in both single and multiple pregnancies.
At the beginning of the sixth week of pregnancy, the embryo living in the mother's tummy resembles the letter "C". The general appearance of the child at this time during ultrasound examination resembles a bean.
During the study, the doctor necessarily evaluates a number of clinical parameters. They are necessary to understand how well the baby is developing.
One of these clinical parameters is the coccygeal-parietal size (CTE). At this time, the norm of this indicator is about 4 mm... The dimensions of the ovum are about 2.2 cm.
An equally important clinical indicator is the volume of amniotic fluid. The aquatic environment is very important for the development of the baby throughout its intrauterine development. It is made up of amniotic fluid.
At this stage of pregnancy, its amount is still insignificant - a couple of milliliters. In the future, the amount of amniotic fluid will only grow. This is necessary for the child to fully grow and develop in the mother's tummy.
It is impossible to use many research methods to study the embryo at this stage of pregnancy. One of these prohibited tests is x-rays.
X-ray examinations are not performed for pregnant women. High radiation exposure, which is applied to the child and female body during the examination, can lead to harm. So, X-ray has a negative effect on actively dividing cells. This greatly increases the risk of possible mutations, especially during organogenesis.
For the same reason, computer tomography during pregnancy is also not performed. Such studies are allowed only for the strictest medical reasons. If the expectant mother, for some reason, is going to undergo an X-ray, then she should definitely warn the specialist that she is pregnant.
Another research method that doctors have been using for centuries is the routine clinical examination. However, at this stage of pregnancy, the doctor can only assess the condition of the woman's reproductive organs and signs of pregnancy.
What pathologies can there be at this time?
The first weeks of a baby's embryonic life are a very important period. At this time, the likelihood of a spontaneous miscarriage is quite high.
It is especially important to monitor their well-being during this period for women who are at high risk. These include expectant mothers with a burdened gynecological history.
If a woman or one of her close relatives had cases of early miscarriages or spontaneous abortion, she has a very high risk of such pathologies. This is called a burdened gynecological history.
Also, you should especially carefully monitor your health for expectant mothers who have any diseases of the reproductive organs. Women after IVF should also pay close attention to any sensations in their bodies.
The clinical condition is extremely unfavorable, when all the signs of pregnancy suddenly disappear in a woman. In such a situation, it is very important to assess the condition of the fetus.
At this time, the most important clinical indicator is the heartbeat. If it is not heard, the doctor needs to assess whether the further course of pregnancy is possible, whether the embryo in the woman's womb is alive.
If the baby does not have a heartbeat, it is extremely important to consult an obstetrician-gynecologist. Also, the doctor will be able to evaluate and single heartbeats, which are detected during ultrasound examination.
One of the most dangerous pathologies is hemorrhage in the placenta or uterine wall. It can lead to malnutrition in the small embryo. In this case, it is very important for the expectant mother to seek medical help in a timely manner.
The development of hemorrhage in the uterine wall can lead to the appearance of adverse symptoms in a woman. So, a woman can feel a pulling pain in the lower abdomen. The intensity of the pain syndrome in this case, as a rule, increases. Taking analgesics does not bring much relief to a woman and does not significantly improve her well-being.
Another sign that the expectant mother should be concerned about is the appearance of characteristic bleeding from the vagina. EIf a woman starts bleeding from the genital tract, then she should immediately seek medical help. This condition can lead to spontaneous abortion.
See the next video for what to expect in the 6th week of pregnancy.
