5th Week Pregnant

SOURCE: http://www.i-am-pregnant.com
Your `fetus`, about 5 weeks old

You are now in your second month of pregnancy and your developing baby is 3 weeks! You might just be finding out that you are pregnant and may have many concerns and questions. Some women still do not realize that they are pregnant yet. You might have already had a positive pregnancy test. Many tests can show a positive test result 10 days after conception, but it is recommended that you wait until you have actually missed your period. The baby has not grown very much from last week and is now approximately 1.25 mm long. You will not `show` yet for some time.



At this point in your pregnancy, you may begin to experience some symptoms. One early symptom of pregnancy is nausea. Some women will actually vomit and others will not. The nausea and/or vomiting that occur during pregnancy are called morning sickness. Most of the time morning sickness is worse in the morning, but not always. Morning sickness does usually improve or disappear by the end of the first trimester. Another early sign of pregnancy is the increased need to urinate. Frequent urination can continue throughout the remainder of the pregnancy because of the growing uterus and increased amount of fluids you are drinking. Many women also notice breast changes early in pregnancy. It is common to feel a tingling or sore sensation in the breasts or nipples. You might notice that the area around the nipple, the areola, becomes darker during pregnancy. It is also not uncommon to feel tired or fatigued at this point. You might feel like you need to nap at lunchtime and you may need to go to bed earlier to accommodate your body's needs.

As early as this week, the plate that will become the heart has developed. Your baby's brain, spinal cord, muscles, and bone formation are also beginning to form. The baby's skeleton is forming at this time as well. The embryo has a distinct organization that has a top, bottom, left, right, front and back. It is important that you continue or begin to take your prenatal vitamins to prevent birth defects.

On your initial doctors visit you may be checked on Hematocrit, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, blood group type, Rh factor, antibodies to blood group antigens, VDRL, rubella anti-Body titer, hepatitis B, toxoplasmosis, urine culture, and HIV.

Sometimes as early as the second month of pregnancy, the insides of your hands and the bottoms of your feet may itch and take on a reddish hue. This annoying condition is called palmar erythema. The increased color is nothing more than a curiosity of pregnancy.