5th week of pregnancy

How big is your baby

The average size of the fetus in this week is just 1.5- 2.5 millimeter long. This size is just as small as a grain of rice.

Baby’s growth and development

During this week, the umbilical cord and the placenta will also develop. Ectoderm, which is the top layer of the cell, will now start to develop the neural tube. This neural tube is a hollow tube of tissue in the embryo of humans. In the outer layer, sweat glands, hairs, nails and skin will also develop. Endoderm which is the third layer of cells will also develop in this week. Endoderm, intestines, lungs, pancreas and thyroid will develop.

MOTHER’S DEVELOPMENT

(a)How you may feel

You arenow on your 5th week of pregnancy. At this moment, you cannot control yourself from yawning most of the time. Breast soreness is a big burden for the pregnant women especially during the first trimester of pregnancy. Hormones are the main reason of having aches in the breasts. This process will prepare the gravid mother to have their breastfeeding in the near future. But how will you treat breast soreness? Aside from wearing sports bra, we have here some lists to treat this breasts soreness;
Put on breast pads- this will assist you in protecting your nipples from the bra lining.
Prevent any physical connection- once you touch the sore breasts, it could be painful. So it is important for you to have a communication with all the people who surround you.
Wearing bra while sleeping- it can be a big help if you wear bra while sleeping because it can reduce the pain and tenderness of the breast.
Sometimes, pregnant women can feel cramping of the uterus. This cramping is expected in an early stage of pregnancy since your uterus is expanding and this is normal. It only means that you are having a pregnancy that is healthy. But you should be careful if the cramping of your uterus is accompanied with bleeding, for it is possibly connected to the embryo. Once you experience bleeding, one sided pain, and elevating pain, consult a doctor for a check-up on your present condition.
Some gravid mothers may also feel headaches that results from hormonal changes and stress. It is recommended to;
Massage the spine and neck.
Practice exercises for relaxation
Avoid excess intake of caffeine and cola
Have a regular exercise
Have an ample amount of time to rest
Increase your fluid intake

(b) Complications

Ectopic pregnancy will be sometimes experienced by some pregnant women. This complication will happen if the fertilized egg will be implanted outside the uterus. The most common site is the fallopian tube. There are some chances that the fertilized egg will be implanted sometimes in the cervix or in the ovary but these rarely happens. Researches have shown that in every 100 pregnancies, 1 of them can experience this. If you have a history of PID or pelvic inflammatory disease, you have a higher risk of having ectopic pregnancy.
Signs of ectopic pregnancy;
Nausea
Abdominal pain
Vaginal bleeding
Sometimes, these will imitate the signs of common pregnancy that is why diagnosing ectopic pregnancy is so hard. HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin level will be measured to best diagnose ectopic pregnancy. HCG is a hormone that is produced during pregnancy and basically it is doubled every 2 days. If the levels do not rise, then ectopic pregnancy is suspected. To assist in diagnosing ectopic pregnancy, UTZ or ultrasound will be done.
Your doctor will need you to undergo surgery if you are diagnosed with ectopic pregnancy. This is very important before your fallopian tube faces great damage. You need also to prepare yourself in the near future because it might affect your fertility.

(c) Other complications

Other complication in early pregnancy is the hydatidiform mole or molar pregnancy. It will only happen if the fertilized egg is implanted but the fetus is not developed or is not developing at all and it will only result to miscarriage.

(d) Tips for complications

To prevent complications from happening, it is much better if you will start to have a healthy living as early as today.
Hydatidiform mole will be developing once the fertilized egg is not normal during the time of fertilization. Researchers have shown that out of 1,000 pregnancies, only one can acquire this. To remove these abnormal tissues, surgery will be done. After this recovering from hydatidiform mole pregnancy, women are advised not to get pregnant for the next one year.

How Dads can help Mom

This is a crucial period for the moms-to-be; she may often have mood swings and her crankiness may affect you or anyone else. Try to soothe her with things she likes and plan a surprise dinner for her and celebrate your happiness of being parents.

Tips

It is very essential to watch what you eat as your baby is developing and needs proper nutrients for better growth. To avoid dehydration have plenty of water and eat foods that are easy on your stomach. Sleep well and rest.