Week 5



Your period is late, now you probably just found out, although you’ve been pregnant for four weeks. You may take some of the many home pregnancy test kits available that are fairly reliable a few days after a missed period, to confirm your condition.

  • The hormonal changes that come with pregnancy may cause your breasts to be swollen and tender as the milk glands multiply. You may feel hungry often or nauseated as morning sickness. Your growing uterus will begin to press on your bladder causing frequent trips to the bathroom.
  • Your appetite will probably shift into high gear as you need about 1 1/2 times the calories as a singleton mom.
  • This week may have you feeling even more tired now. As far as the other symptoms, they are very similar to last week - sore breasts, fatigue, backaches, heartburn, morning sickness, and mood swings.
  • You may start to get headaches as your hormone levels rise as well. Also, eating smaller, more frequent meals can sometimes help with both the morning sickness and heartburn. There are also a lot of women who will have none of these symptoms. They will sail through early pregnancy without vomiting or being light headed. For a lot of women this can be normal as well. Do not panic if you do not have pregnancy symptoms. Not only do these symptoms vary in intensity from woman to woman but also from pregnancy to pregnancy in the same woman.

Even many of your symptoms are the same as last week there is changing and growing in your womb. Your baby’s heart will begin to beat this week! It’s amazing how much is happening so quickly. A transvaginal ultrasound will show about 90% of the yolk sacs. It is now possible to differentiate between the head and the tail of your baby now. By the end of the week that folic acid will be paying off as the neural folds begin to fuse. Average length is 1.5 - 2.5 mm.
With the beating of the heart, blood will begin to circulate throughout the body. Your baby’s first organ system will be up and running!

The beginnings of the brain; the cardiovascular, nervous and reproductive systems; as well as all other major systems are under way.

Week 6

While you won’t be able to find out the gender of your baby for several more weeks, the version you’ll give birth to is being determined right now.
This week is Your First Doctor’s Visit
Get ready! It’s for a good cause-making sure you and your growing baby-to-be are healthy. Your first prenatal visit will include a complete physical and a thorough medical history. You’ll give urine and blood samples to test for a variety of possible health issues.
Blood samples: At some point during your visit you’ll have your blood drawn. Your blood will be checked for problems such as anemia; diseases like measles, chicken pox, and hepatitis B; and for sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis. Some providers also administer an HIV test. Any of these conditions could be harmful to your unborn baby. The good news is that you won’t have to give blood at every appointment.
Your blood will also be screened for its Rh factor. A person’s blood is either Rh positive or Rh negative. Rh refers to a protein, and the presence of this protein, or lack of it, is referred to as the Rh (for Rhesus) factor. If you are Rh negative and your partner is Rh positive, your baby-to-be might also be positive. While the your and your baby’s blood systems are separate, there can be times when your baby’s blood might enter your system. If this happens, it could trigger your immune system to create antibodies against the Rh factor and treat your Rh-positive baby like a foreign intruder. Your antibodies would then attack your Rh-positive baby’s blood, which will cause a breaking down of red blood cells, leading to anemia. In severe cases, Rh incompatibility can escalate to more serious illness, brain damage, and sometimes death. However, when caught early, your healthcare provider can give you medication to keep you and your baby safe and healthy.

All About Baby
This week your baby-to-be’s brain begins to take shape. Her head becomes more distinct with tiny spots appearing that mark the places where her eyes will form. Spots for her ears also become visible. Buds that will later become arms and legs begin. And for the first time your baby’s heart beats. Within her growing midsection, what will become her lungs, liver, and other organs are forming.

Your growing baby this week is the size of a pea. If you didn’t start taking prenatal vitamins until now it is time to!
Since nearly half of all pregnancies are unplanned, there are probably many women in the same boat as you. In addition to healthcare providers for women of childbearing age, The March of Dimes has long been trying to spread the word of how important taking prenatal vitamin and folic acid is prior to conceiving. Research has shown that taking folic acid can reduce the occurrence neural tube defects (ones found in the spine, skull, and brain) by as much as 50 to 70 percent.

The Importance of Folic Acid
When the impact of folic acid on the reduction of neural tube defects was discovered, it led to the fortification of many foods (breads, pasta, and cereals). According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this fortification led to a 25 percent decrease in neural tube defects. Today many women who eat healthy diets rich in folic acid (including foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, nuts, or fortified cereals). ask why they need the supplement. The answer is that the synthetic form of folic acid is more effective for this type of protection, and pregnant women require twice the amount of folic acid (the RDA for pregnant women is 600 micrograms) that non-pregnant women require. Start by taking a good look at your diet and talk with your healthcare provider about the best nutritional plan and necessary follow-up for your pregnancy.