5 weeks pregnant

The beginning of the 5th week of pregnancy also represents the beginning of the second month. During this period, externally there is not much news for the mother, who in many cases may not even know she is pregnant, – some women go through the whole pregnancy without knowing it – however, the baby is developing very fast, about 1 million people. new cells per minute, and is already considered an embryo.

Levels of HCG, the pregnancy hormone that is produced by the placenta, are much higher in the first few weeks. In this phase, they are between 18 and 7,340 mIU / ml, which means that the suspicion of pregnancy will be confirmed in all tests, with the Quantitative BetaHCG, made through a blood sample the most reliable.

You still can’t see your baby on exams, as he is quite small, but in some cases, through a transvaginal ultrasound it is possible to observe a stain, it is the beginning of the gestational sac and the yolk vesicle may also appear.

Don’t be so anxious that you can’t see much. The most recommended is to wait to perform the ultrasound from the 7th week.

 

Baby development

At 5 weeks, your baby is now between 1.25 to 2 mm in size, resembling a grain of rice and the shape of the body resembles a letter C. The heart is the first organ to develop and already beats at a fast pace, but still don’t follow a rhythmic pattern.

A groove appears on the embryo’s back and a small protuberance, which is smaller than a pinhead and from which the head will be formed. The neural tube begins to form and will transform into the brain and spinal cord, forming the central nervous system.

Circulation between mom and baby starts to happen and small blood vessels form. The amniotic sac is formed, the embryo receives oxygen from the placenta and the umbilical cord also develops.

In sequence, the formation of organs such as the liver, kidneys, bones, muscles, ears and eyes also begins.

 

What happens to mom

The most common symptoms of pregnancy become more apparent, including:

– Sensitivity, pain and tingling in the breasts, due to an increase in blood flow and changes in breast tissues, which are preparing for breastfeeding.

– Morning sickness, which according to some researchers is related to the adaptation of the organisms to HCG levels and hormonal changes. They usually cease between the 18th to the 20th week.

There are some tips to relieve nausea, such as not spending many hours on an empty stomach, trying to make small meals every 3 hours; eating one or two crackers when you wake up can help you get better.

Sucking on ginger or ginger candies is also a suggestion, but it is necessary to pay attention to the amount ingested, because higher doses of ginger can be harmful.

If the sickness is very strong, the doctor may prescribe a medication, avoid self-medication.

– Increased urge to urinate, hormonal changes and the growth of the uterus by pressing on the bladder will make you want to go to the bathroom more often.

– More refined sense of smell, hormonal changes will also increase your sense of smell. Smells that used to be of little or no importance will become more noticeable.

Some pregnant women may have hyperosmia, which is excessive sensitivity to smells. The opposite can happen, that is, losing the sense of smell by nasal congestion.

– Tiredness, fatigue and excessive sleep, a higher level of progesterone and with a faster metabolism, with greater burning of energy will make you feel more tired and sleepy during pregnancy. This is your body in an intense work preparing for the new being that will form.

The main tip is to rest a lot whenever possible, to eat healthy.

There is also an increase in blood volume, an increase in heart rate, colic. Always remembering that each woman is unique, as well as each pregnancy, so you should not compare what you feel with other women. Some women will get more sick than others or feel more tired. The important thing is that you take care and enjoy the pregnancy as much as you can.

 

What care should be taken at this stage

It is of utmost importance that prenatal care is performed shortly after a pregnancy is confirmed. Through blood tests, urine, feces, ultrasound, the doctor can know if everything is fine with the mother and baby and indicate what is needed.

In that 5th week, the doctor must order a blood typing test to find out your blood type. Mothers with negative RH are at an increased risk of having fetal erythroblastosis when the mother’s immune system reacts against the baby, producing antibodies and being able to cross the placenta, destroying the baby’s blood cells.

If confirmed, you should have an injection of D-immunoglobulin to neutralize the baby’s positive HR cells, which should take place between the 28th week and 72 hours after delivery.

It is interesting to start using hydratesspecific body products for pregnant women or with milder smells, to avoid stretch marks. Pay more attention to thighs, hips and breasts avoiding passing the nipples.

Eat healthy, with light meals and fluid intake. Invest in foods rich in vitamin C.