Week 5 of pregnancy: confirmation of pregnancy

From the fifth week of gestation, the woman should no longer have any doubts that she is waiting sweetly, since the implantation of the embryo in her uterus has occurred. So, it is likely that from this week the first symptoms of her pregnancy will be perceived and it would only be confirmed.

When you go through the pregnancy process during each week, you should know that after the fourth week the implantation of the fertilized egg has already occurred and is now called an embryo. In addition, the duration of the pregnancy must be considered, which in theory should be 40 weeks, counting from the date on which the woman had her last menstruation, or if the day of conception is known, the gestation will last 38 weeks.

As for weeks, this time we will focus on 5. Although it may happen that you are one of the lucky ones who reaches 5 weeks of pregnancy without symptoms, this does not mean that there will be popcorn and pregnancy, because from this moment on, it is It is likely that the first symptoms will begin, such as the absence of menstruation, the classic continuous nausea, swelling in the breasts, frequent desire to urinate, drowsiness, tiredness, among others.

How to confirm your pregnancy?

If you have already had an absence of menstruation, and you suspect that you are pregnant, it is best to take a pregnancy test to confirm the news. If there is evidence of an early pregnancy and you have a 5-week ultrasound, you probably won’t be able to see anything, because although chemically the levels of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are elevated in the urine or in the blood, it is very early so that the embryo can be clearly seen with a transvaginal echo. 

So, if your pregnancy test was positive, you will most likely have to wait after 5 and 6 weeks of pregnancy to have your first ultrasound, so they can see a clear image.

In this study, it can be verified that there is indeed a viable embryo and that it has been correctly implanted in the uterus, which usually occurs around week 6 of pregnancy. However, despite the incipient gestation, the embryo is already growing in the fifth week and is 3 weeks old.

What are the changes that occur in a fetus at 5 weeks? 

A 5-week embryo is three weeks old and is approximately one millimeter wide and 4-5 millimeters long. But in addition to this, the following changes are observed in their formation:

• At this stage, the embryo already begins to present a “C” shape, which is characteristic of this phase.
• Three germ layers appear or the so-called blastodermal sheets , which are the embryonic layers or the set of cells that will give rise to the organs and tissues of the fetus.
• At this stage, the cellular layer known as the ectoderm appears, which is the external part of the group of cells that surround the embryo: from it the nervous system, the epidermis, the retina, dental enamel, nails, hair, among other structures, are formed..
• From the previous layer an innermost layer called the endoderm arises. In this the epithelial linings develop, which in time will form the respiratory tracts and the digestive apparatus, including the glands related to them. In this stage the liver, urethra, bladder and pancreas are also formed.
• When images of 5-week-old embryos are observed, some physical characteristics can be seen, such as a kind of crest that can be seen on the back, which when closed originates what is known as the neural tube .
• From the neural tube the cerebral column and the brain are formed, which is finished forming as the first month of pregnancy progresses. In this fifth week, the upper part of the aforementioned tube expands and flattens, with the aim of forming the brain in its front part.
• Already in this phase the yolk sac has formed and the embryo is located between these two membranes that act as a protector. The yolk sac is shaped like a balloon and it is there that the future baby’s blood cells will develop.

5 weeks pregnant and its symptoms

When you are 5 weeks pregnant, you are likely to start experiencing the first characteristic symptoms of pregnancy. And here we are going to mention the most important ones:

• Morning sickness usually appears at this stage.
• You may notice that you begin to urinate very frequently.
• There is an increase in the volume of your breasts, so you will notice a high breast tension, which could even be painful.
• Small glands usually appear around the nipples, or they increase in size. These glands are known as Montgomery tubercles and are responsible for keeping this area lubricated. Similarly, these glands secrete a substance that works as an olfactory stimulus for newborn babies in the breastfeeding stage.
• Another change that appears at this stage is the increase in the color of the areola of your breasts, as it becomes darker, even sometimes, you can feel milk coming out of the nipple.
• From this moment on, you may feel more tired and very sleepy, a feeling that will persist throughout your pregnancy. Also, you may have an aversion to certain smells or foods.
• You may even feel pain in the lower abdomen after 5 weeks of pregnancy.
• At this stage, there are no visible physical changes in your body, so enjoy these first 5 weeks of pregnancy without a belly and without having to change your wardrobe.

Main care during week 5 of pregnancy

If you have already discovered that you are pregnant, because the result of the pregnancy test is clearly positive, in that case, the most convenient thing is that you schedule your first pregnancy gynecological visit.

Starting this week, it is recommended that you start taking folic acid and prenatal vitamins, which will help your baby grow. Your trusted doctor will prescribe the most appropriate, according to your condition.

Similarly, it is convenient that you stay away from alcohol, cigarettes or other types of drugs, for the good health of your baby. 

On the other hand, it is also recommended that you start taking care of your diet, consuming products with a high content of vitamins and minerals. So, keep in mind foods such as fruits, milk, meats (fish, chicken, red meat, among others), vegetables and plenty of water.

And don’t forget to do light physical exercise. A daily walk will help you a lot during pregnancy.

What is anembryonic pregnancy?

In some cases, it usually happens that during the embryo formation process , it does not develop or its development stops and its reabsorption occurs, leaving a totally empty gestational sac. This phenomenon is known as anembryonated pregnancy or “empty” ovum. The reasons for this to occur are unknown until now, but in general, they are usually associated with the fact that the fertilized egg comes with chromosomal abnormalities.

The symptoms of an anembryonic pregnancy are similar to a normal pregnancy, since you can give a positive result in a pregnancy test, because the embryo contributes to the secretion of the hormone gHC, which is produced until it becomes unviable and does not it develops. 

You may also experience missed periods, vomiting, tenderness in your breasts, and nausea. However, all these symptoms disappear when the embryo stops developing and fails to implant in the uterus. Ultimately, this anembryonic pregnancy ends with a miscarriage.

In short, all these symptoms and changes that your body is experiencing in the fifth week of pregnancy are going to be modified or disappear, to give way to another stage throughout the weeks of gestation. So, before looking for the basket of babies (if you click here, you will find several options to buy), clothes or decorative elements, you can focus on learning more about each stage of gestation, so that you have an idea of ​​what is coming in the following weeks.