Gynecology And Obstetrics-

5th week of pregnancy

introduction

The fifth week of pregnancy is a very important time for the proper development of the child. In the fifth week of pregnancy, one speaks of the time of embryonic development, which extends to the end of the eighth week of pregnancy. Weeks of pregnancy are counted from the first day of the last menstrual period - known as post menstruation in technical terms.
There is a very high probability that pregnancy tests will be positive this week, although there are now tests that can be used earlier.
The focus of the fifth week of pregnancy is on the organogenesis of the embryo - that is the time of organ development. For the first time, the embryo can now also be seen in the ultrasound examination.

Here you will find further information on the topic: The process of pregnancy

Embryo size and development

The embryo is in a very important phase in the fifth week. The foundation stone for organ formation is laid. These develop during the 5th-8th Week of pregnancy continues. In the fifth week of pregnancy, the embryo is about 2 mm in size and has an elongated shape.

Important structures and organs develop from the three cotyledons of the embryo (ento-, meso- and ectoderm). Organ development is a very complicated process that is a delicate phase for the child's integrity. The brain and facial structures of the embryo as well as the urnal kidney develop. Plants for the legs and arms, which are called leg and arm buds, are created. The gastrointestinal tract and important systems for the heart are also formed this week. Muscles, tendons and ligaments are created and continue to develop during the embryonic and later fetal period.

Read more on the topic: Development of the Embryo

What does the ultrasound look like in the 5th week of pregnancy?

In the fifth week of pregnancy, pregnancy is already detectable in the ultrasound examination. The first examination of the pregnant woman usually takes place at this point. The absence of menstrual bleeding prompts a visit to the doctor, who can then determine the pregnancy in the examination. Only the fruit cavity, which looks like a black spot, can be seen on the ultrasound image. It measures around 4 mm in diameter at the beginning of the fifth week.

By the end of the fifth week, the diameter doubles to around 8 mm. Apart from the fruit cavity, nothing of the embryo can be seen yet. A heartbeat can be seen, although you can usually only see a heartbeat from the 7th week of pregnancy. The embryo itself cannot yet be recognized. But that is no cause for concern. Around the amniotic sac you can see the uterine lining built up high.

What are typical signs of pregnancy in the 5th week of pregnancy?

In some cases, there are very inconsistent statements about certain and uncertain signs of pregnancy. Ultimately, only a medical examination, including blood and urine tests, as well as an ultrasound, can reliably tell whether you are pregnant or not.
Any signs that a pregnant woman herself perceives at the beginning of pregnancy are considered unsafe signs of pregnancy. In the fifth week of pregnancy, pregnancy is still in the very early stages of the first trimester.

There is still no tummy to see and weight gain is also not to be noted. However, a very strong indication of pregnancy is the absence of a period from the fifth week of pregnancy. Furthermore, due to the hormonal changes, slight symptoms such as breast tenderness or abdominal pulling can occur. However, these are very unspecific signs that occur not infrequently even outside of pregnancy.
The uterus is already enlarged, but it cannot be felt through the abdominal wall.

Abdominal pain as an indication of pregnancy?

Abdominal pain as such is a very unspecific symptom that can indicate many different causes. Contrary to what is often assumed, these are not typical signs of pregnancy.
Especially in the fifth week of pregnancy, pregnancy does not cause stomach pain. As pregnancy progresses, abdominal pain in the form of abdominal pulls is more common as the child begins to move and structures in the mother's body are stretched. A slight pulling in the abdomen can occur in the fifth week, but is usually due to hormonal changes and is not a specific indication of pregnancy.

Diarrhea - a Sign of Pregnancy?

Diarrhea is not a typical symptom of early pregnancy, but rather an expression of a food intolerance or infection. In combination with spotting, the latter can be considered. Here too, however, there is not necessarily a connection between the symptoms. Spotting and diarrhea are usually not an expression of the same problem.

For example, spotting can be harmless contact bleeding after sexual intercourse. The diarrhea that occurs at the same time, on the other hand, can be the expression of a gastrointestinal infection. So the two symptoms are not linked. Nevertheless, one should consult a doctor with such complaints during pregnancy in order to rule out all eventualities.

Typical complaints in the 5th week of pregnancy

A number of symptoms can occur in early pregnancy. These include:

Vomiting / nausea
fatigue
Chest tightness / nipple discoloration
Mood swings

nausea

In early pregnancy, nausea is a common problem faced by pregnant women. There is even a technical term for pregnancy sickness, namely hyperemesis or vomiting gravidarum. Vomiting is also part of pregnancy sickness and occurs more frequently up to the 14th week of pregnancy. Treatment is often not necessary.

If the nausea persists, however, there are also drug therapy options or the option of administering infusions to ensure adequate fluid intake. The simultaneous occurrence of spotting and nausea does not need to be a cause for concern either. The two symptoms are not necessarily related. If general symptoms such as fever or severe abdominal pain occur, an infection can also hide behind the symptoms.

a headache

Headache is a very common and unspecific symptom. Many women also complain of headaches in early pregnancy. A tangible cause can only be identified in the rarest of cases. Usually the hormonal change is blamed for the headache. Headache combined with spotting does not indicate a specific cause. This combination of symptoms is also unspecific and mostly harmless in nature. Due to hormonal adjustment mechanisms, such symptoms can occur in early pregnancy.

Also read our page: Headache in pregnancy

Spotting in the 5th week of pregnancy

Spotting in early pregnancy can have many different causes. They should always be checked by a doctor, but they are not always a cause for concern. A common reason for light spotting in early pregnancy is mechanical stress on the cervix, which is well supplied with blood, through sexual intercourse. Another possible cause of spotting in the fifth week of pregnancy is a cyst.

Vaginal infections, such as the common vaginal thrush, can also cause spotting. Bacterial infections of the uterus or ovaries are dangerous to pregnancy and must therefore be treated quickly. Other symptoms such as fever or abdominal pain indicate an infection.

Spotting can also indicate that a miscarriage is beginning or has already occurred. Miscarriages are particularly common in the first three months of pregnancy.

Discharge in the 5th week of pregnancy - is it dangerous?

Vaginal discharge is natural and not a cause for concern, even during pregnancy. During pregnancy, discharge increases in many women. The cause is the hormonal adaptation of the body to pregnancy. The discharge naturally retains its usual consistency and does not change its smell. A fairly fluid, odorless and colorless discharge is normal. Vaginal discharge is also desirable during pregnancy as it protects the child from ascending infections.

If itching, pain in the genital area or general symptoms such as fever occur and the discharge takes on an unpleasant odor or a cheesy consistency, an infection is suspected. A yellowish or greenish color of the discharge can also indicate an infection. A sexually transmitted disease can also be taken into account, especially if there are changing sexual partners. Under these circumstances, the discharge should be checked by a doctor as soon as possible, as infections can not only endanger the mother, but also the unborn child.

A pull in the abdomen - is that dangerous?

A pulling in the abdomen is primarily not to be assessed as threatening or dangerous. Due to hormonal changes in the course of pregnancy, slight pulling in the abdomen is common. Loosening of the ligaments and muscles in the pelvis can explain the abdominal pulling. These are natural mechanisms of adaptation to pregnancy and not pathological changes or conditions. Therefore, a slight tug in the abdomen is not a cause for concern.

However, severe abdominal pain, foul-smelling discharge or heavy bleeding should lead to a doctor's visit. Severe abdominal pain in combination with bleeding can indicate a miscarriage, although this is not necessarily the case and must be clarified by a doctor. Foul-smelling discharge, fever and abdominal pain, however, indicate an infection. In most cases, however, abdomen pulling is harmless in nature.

How high is the risk of a miscarriage in the 5th week of pregnancy?

The risk of miscarriage is greatest in the first few weeks of pregnancy. During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, many women fear spontaneous termination of pregnancy, which is why the pregnancy is usually only announced to friends and family after the 12th week.
However, an exact risk cannot be given for the 5th week of pregnancy, since many miscarriages are not recorded statistically. This is because the miscarriage is sometimes not perceived and treated as such. This is the case, for example, when a woman did not even know that she was pregnant.

I drank alcohol in the 5 week - how dangerous was that?

During pregnancy there is a zero tolerance limit for alcohol. No alcohol should be consumed at all, as this can cause lasting harm to the child. Furthermore, alcohol is considered harmful at any point in pregnancy and in any amount. From the fifth week of pregnancy, the nervous system and the brain develop.

These structures are particularly sensitive and easily damaged by alcohol. The embryonic cerebellum is particularly sensitive, but other structures of the nervous system are also affected by alcohol. Even the consumption of just a glass of wine or a beer, which many people trivialize, can already lead to lasting damage. However, these harms cannot be predicted from the amount of alcohol or the timing of consumption.

If alcohol has been consumed, it should be stopped immediately. Any consequential damage to the consumption that has already taken place must be awaited. The damage and symptoms caused by maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy are summarized under the term "fetal alcohol syndrome".