Your Baby at 5 Weeks Pregnant
 At 5 weeks pregnant, your baby is over one millimeter long. Your little one is still tiny, but he or she won't stay that size for too long. In roughly 35 weeks, you might give birth to a 7 to 8 pounder!
Your future child is currently comprised of three layers, which will eventually form all of his or her organs and tissues. These layers are called the ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm.
At 5 weeks pregnant, your baby's neural tube is starting to form within the ectoderm (the upper layer). The neural tube will eventually develop into the brain, backbone, and spinal cord. Right now, the neural tube is simply a fold down the back of your baby.
| | Helpful Tip:
The ectoderm is also responsible for the development of your baby's nails, hair, skin, tooth enamel, and sweat and mammary glands. | | |
The mesoderm is also the layer of cells that will eventually form your little bundle of joy's bone, cartilage, muscle, and subcutaneous tissue (the tissue directly underneath your skin).
Vital organs are developing at pregnancy week 5. Your baby's intestines, pancreas, lungs, thyroid, liver, and urinary system are starting to form from the endoderm (third layer of cells).
At 5 weeks pregnant, your baby's umbilical cord is rather short and has not developed its coils yet. As your pregnancy week by week progresses, the umbilical cord will get longer and longer.
Your baby's placenta is in the early stages of development. At 5 weeks pregnant, your tiny baby is getting his or her nutritional supply from the yolk sac. The yolk sac will provide your child's nourishment until the end of the first trimester, when the placenta will be fully mature and ready to take over its role.
Mom's Changes at 5 Weeks Pregnant
At 5 weeks pregnant, you're still pretty small. Since you probably only discovered you were pregnant last week, it's no wonder that you're still tiny. You may be anxious to start showing, but it will take a few more months before you look noticeably pregnant.
Second time moms may start looking pregnant closer to the end of the first trimester. If this is your first pregnancy, you may not have a noticeable bump until your second trimester.
| | Helpful Tip:
Start avoiding alcohol, and stop smoking right away. The first trimester is a delicate time when all of your baby's internal organs are developing. You don't want to risk harming your child in any way. | | |
If you haven't already, it's a good idea to start an exercise routine at 5 weeks pregnant. Exercising in pregnancy is generally safe (except for women in high risk pregnancies), and it helps build up your strength and stamina, which will help you during labor and delivery. Plus, staying fit will help you better manage your weight gain. Staying on target with the recommended weight gain for your size will improve your chances of having a healthier baby and easier labor and delivery.
Pregnancy Symptoms at 5 Weeks Pregnant
 At 5 weeks pregnant, you may start to notice subtle changes in your body. Taking a home pregnancy test at 5 weeks pregnant should give you a positive result. If you're indeed pregnant, you may start to experience a few early signs of pregnancy.
Fatigue is a common pregnancy symptom that you'll notice first. At 5 weeks pregnant, you may find that you're so tired that it's hard to pay attention at work, and it might be easy for you to fall asleep when reading a book or even watching a movie. You can blame your elevated pregnancy hormones for your exhaustion.
Breast tenderness is also a common pregnancy symptom at 5 weeks pregnant. Your uncomfortable, swollen and tender breasts will feel similar to how they feel before your regular period, only they are much more tender and sore to touch. Breast tenderness is very common in the first trimester, but your discomfort will ease up in the second trimester.
Frequent urination is another early pregnancy symptom to expect at 5 weeks pregnant. The higher levels of hormones in your body and the cardiovascular changes cause your kidneys to work extra hard. As a result, you will have to urinate more often.
Darker skin around your nipples is something else that you may notice at 5 weeks pregnant. Along with breast tenderness, you may find that the circle of skin around your nipples (which are called the areolas) are darkening. In the first trimester, don't be surprised if you find that the bumps around your nipples (called Montgomery's tubercles) become more pronounced.
Morning sickness might also make its appearance when you're 5 weeks pregnant. You may feel queasy in the morning, or you might even throw up. Nausea can also last all day, too. Morning sickness is a universal pregnancy symptom, and it can make you plain miserable. But there's a good perk of morning sickness - it decreases your miscarriage risk.
Weight Gain at 5 Weeks Pregnant
You haven't gained very much this week. Your total weight gain at 5 weeks pregnant is roughly one pound. You may have gained slightly more, if you're feeling more bloated than usual.
By the end of your first trimester, you will have gained between five or ten pounds. You'll gain less if you suffer from moderate to severe morning sickness (nausea and vomiting in pregnancy) in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.
Spotlight on Morning Sickness
 Morning sickness may start by pregnancy week 5 but probably won't set in for a few more weeks. Morning sickness is actually a misnomer. The nausea that is associated with pregnancy can come at any time of the day, morning or night.
Some women are plagued with morning sickness during their entire pregnancies, though most morning sickness gets better after the first trimester. The good news is there are many things you can do to help alleviate morning sickness as you follow your pregnancy week by week. Try keeping some crackers and seltzer water close by the bed and snack on some before you get up in the morning. Morning sickness is often worse on an empty stomach. Other women find sipping some ginger tea or lemon water helps relieve nausea. Another remedy is supplementation with extra B-6.
Before you try any remedies for morning sickness or any other pregnancy symptom, be sure you consult with your healthcare provider. There are many herbs that can be dangerous to you or your developing baby when pregnant. When in doubt always err on the side of safety.
The most common early pregnancy symptom at five weeks pregnant is a sense of fatigue. Fatigue is common throughout pregnancy, but is usually the most severe during the early weeks of pregnancy. If you are experiencing excessive fatigue, try to rest as much as possible throughout the day. Do not have an extra cup of coffee to "perk up" as too much caffeine can affect your developing fetus. One great way to take advantage of a natural pick me up is to exercise. If you have the chance to get outdoors and inhale some fresh air, go for an extra walk around the block.
Overview on Early Pregnancy Complications
Ectopic Pregnancies
 Sometimes things go wrong with a pregnancy. Occasionally, a woman will experience an ectopic pregnancy. This happens when the fertilized egg implants outside of the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube. There is an even smaller chance that the egg will implant around the ovary or cervix, though this is very rare.
Ectopic pregnancies generally occur in 1 out of every 100 pregnancies. Your risk might be increased if you have a history of pelvic inflammatory disease or some other infection that might have damaged your fallopian tube. Women who have had a previous ectopic pregnancy are more likely to experience a recurrence than those who have not.
The primary signs of an ectopic pregnancy include: vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain, and nausea. Some of these symptoms, however, mimic ordinary pregnancy symptoms, so ectopic pregnancies are sometimes difficult to diagnose. The best way to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy is to measure the levels of human chorionic gonadotropin or HCG in the blood. This is a hormone produced during pregnancy that generally doubles approximately every 2 days. When HCG levels do not increase, an ectopic pregnancy might be suspected. Ultrasound can also help diagnose an ectopic pregnancy.
If you are diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy, your physician may require you undergo surgical treatment. Your doctor will want to perform surgery before any damage is done to your tube, which can affect your fertility in the future.
Blighted Ovum, Molar Pregnancy, & More
Other complications may include a blighted ovum or a molar pregnancy. A blighted ovum occurs when the fertilized egg implants but the embryo stops developing or isn't developing at all. It typically results in a miscarriage. A molar pregnancy occurs when the fertilized egg is abnormal from the time of conception. Usually the egg will not develop into an embryo or it will develop abnormally so that it can't survive. Molar pregnancies occur in about one out of every 1,000 pregnancies. A molar pregnancy will usually require a surgical procedure to remove the abnormal tissue.
Most women who experience pregnancy complications can go on to have normal pregnancies in the future. While it is difficult not to worry about potential complications, it is important that you adopt a healthy attitude. The more you relax and enjoy the changes in your body, the more likely things will go well for you. If you do notice any abnormal symptoms, including continuous bleeding after a positive pregnancy test, be sure to contact your healthcare provider immediately.
Pregnancy Health Tips at 5 Weeks Pregnant
 Many women decide to keep their pregnancies private until after the 12th week. This is because the chance of miscarriage is greatest during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. it is up to you and your partner whether or not you decide to share the news about your pregnancy, but many women find great relief in sharing their joyous news with friends and family members. That way if something does go wrong, they will also have the support of their loved ones.
There is no hard and fast rule when it comes to revealing your pregnancy. When you do decide to share the news, do so with pomp and circumstance. Most women will only be pregnant once or a few times in their lifetime. It is always fun to share the news in a memorable way. You might decide for example to purchase a new baby outfit or two to surprise your partner or loved ones with. Some women wait until their first prenatal visit, where they will often get to take home the first picture of their baby via a trans-vaginal ultrasound. Do what is right for you, but enjoy the process when you do! Having a baby should be a memorable and joyous occasion for everyone!
|
Pregnancy Week by Week
Pregnancy Explained A to Z
Pregnancy Blog
Ask Our Doc - Pregnancy Q & A 
Share Your Pregnancy Pictures
Follow us on FaceBook
Follow us on Twitter
