If you haven’t already, now is a great time to do a home pregnancy test. Most tests on the market are more than 99% effective at detecting hCG in your system after a missed period. However, if you found out a week or so ago, the news that you are bringing a new little one into your life might be starting to sink in. Welcome to the roller coaster!

How your baby is growing when 5 Weeks Pregnant?

Artist Holly Priddis

While it may be tempting to run out and have a scan straight away to see your little one, at the beginning of Week 5, only the gestational sac is visible. If you could see your baby through a microscope, you’d see a rudimentary head and tail. However, don’t worry; your baby’s tail develops into the lower part of the baby’s spine. By the end of this week, your baby is an embryo, measuring about 2.5mm long inside the amniotic sac. Also, its brain, heart and spinal column start to form at this early stage.

What You May Feel

There are many changes taking place in your body at this time. First, your progesterone and oestrogen levels rise dramatically at the beginning of pregnancy. One side effect of progesterone (which now stays raised for the remainder of your pregnancy) is mood swings, so if you find yourself angry one minute and happy the next, you aren’t alone. Meanwhile, oestrogen promotes extra blood flow, which means you produce more urine, which accounts for those additional bathroom visits. Also, the function of your heart starts to alter as it pumps more blood than usual.

Tips for when you are 5 Weeks Pregnant

Once the news of your pregnancy has sunk it, it’s time to start thinking about the type of care you want to receive for the next nine months. There are many options available between private and public healthcare, midwife programs and more. The first thing to do is to book an appointment with either your local private midwife or doctor. From there, you can get a referral of your choice to your ideal pregnancy care provider. There’s no rush at this stage, but you might want to start doing some research.

Published on 21st December 2021