5 Weeks Pregnant: Symptoms, Belly Size & Ultrasound

5 weeks pregnant is a milestone to celebrate and savor. You may have just had your first positive pregnancy test, or your period may have been late for a few days. Either way, you are officially about to embark on a beautiful journey that will last for nine months.

Your baby at week 5 of pregnancy

In week 5, baby is still an embryo, but it is developing and changing faster than ever before in its life! Your baby is developing a “C” shape, similar to elbow macaroni. This miniature tube-shaped creature already possesses a head, back, front, and… tail. (Don’t be concerned, the tail is absorbed into the body.)

The embryo has 125,000 cells at the beginning of this week, enough to fill every seat in two NFL football stadiums. Even more astonishingly, the baby’s heart has already developed and begun beating (albeit these cardiac contractions won’t become regular for a few weeks). The baby’s spinal cord and brain are beginning to grow, along with critical organs such as the lungs, liver, and pancreas, and the placenta, which will provide oxygen and nutrition.

5 weeks pregnant is how many months?

When you are 5 weeks pregnant, you are officially in 2 months of your pregnancy. Just another 7 months to go! Congratulations, you’ve already made great progress!

How big is your baby at 5 weeks pregnant?

By 5 weeks pregnant, the embryo is still rather little, but it is developing rapidly. The size of a grain of rice or an orange seed. Your baby may now be anywhere from 0.02 to 0.10 inches in length (around 2mm long), with a body shape like a miniature tadpole.

Check out this image to get an idea of what goes on in your uterus to make it a safe and secure environment for your kid throughout pregnancy.

Fetal development in week 5 of pregnancy

During this week (week 5 of pregnancy), the unborn baby is 10,000 times larger than when he was conceived. To put that into perspective, he is the size of a blueberry or a little under a quarter inch from rump to head.

As a result of his rapid head growth, his head is now one-third of his overall size. Because most newborns are born with about 100 billion brain cells, called neurons, the brain must grow at about 250,000 neurons per minute during pregnancy.

Within the lining of the womb, the blastocyst grows and develops between weeks 4 and 5 of early pregnancy. As the outer cells reach out, they form links with the mother’s blood supply. They will eventually form the placenta (afterbirth). The inner group of cells will form the embryo. These inner cells form three layers at first.

Brain development

By the end of the fifth week, the brain has separate right and left cerebral hemispheres, and a cerebellum. The cerebral hemispheres will direct speech, decision making, movement, balance, vision, memory, and many other functions. The cerebellum will control muscle coordination.

Facial development

The face becomes more recognizable in the fifth week after conception. Outgrowths from the forebrain become the optic nerve and the back of the eye. These cells interact with the outer surface of the embryo and form the eye’s lens.5 The nose gets a pair of little depressions that will become the baby’s nostrils. The early mouth and tongue start taking shape.6

Heart development

The heart’s pacemaker cells also develop in the fifth week after conception. These cells come from a large vein called the sinus venosus that collects blood from the embryo’s whole body. Part of the sinus venosus becomes the right atrium of the heart.7 From this position, these pacemaker cells work in cooperation with nerve impulses to control a person’s heart rate for the rest of her life.

Lung development

The respiratory system begins forming at the very end of the fourth week, around 26 days after conception. First, the 2 primary lung buds grow. These lung buds become the left and right lung. By 4 ½ weeks, the major airways to the left and right lungs, called bronchi, have grown.

These bronchi divide into three major lobes on the right and two major lobes on the left.8 In the fifth week, the airways start branching repeatedly. This continues over the next ten to twelve weeks, until the airways have branched at least 17 times. After birth, these airways connect the alveoli, where air is exchanged in the lungs, to the windpipe and the external air.

At this stage, the embryo’s skin is just one cell thick. That makes the skin transparent and capable of excreting water and salts into the amniotic fluid.10 The limb buds keep growing, with the arm buds growing before the leg buds.

Week 5 of Your Pregnancy

This is when most women start thinking they may be pregnant after their first missed period. This is also when morning sickness usually starts, and your breasts may become enlarged and tender. If you haven’t started experiencing these symptoms yet, don’t worry – they usually begin during week 4 or 5 of your pregnancy.

Because the developing embryo makes more hCG, your ovaries will cease releasing eggs. More estrogen and progesterone will be produced by your ovaries, hormones that will put a stop to your periods and promote the growth of the placenta (afterbirth).

Your urine also contains the pregnancy hormone hCG. If you take a home pregnancy test now, you can get a positive result if the hormone has been detected in your urine.The formation of the nervous system begins at this time. The primary organ frameworks are also established. The embryo is about the size of a sesame seed and is around 2mm in length.

The neural tube is formed when the embryo’s outer cell layer forms a groove and folds inward to create a hollow tube. The nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, will develop here. Meanwhile, a tube-like structure that will become the heart is taking shape. The embryo’s blood arteries begin to form and blood circulation begins at this stage. You and the embryo are joined by a cord of these blood vessels, which will later become the umbilical cord.

Possible Pregnancy symptoms in week 5

The first trimester (0 to 15 weeks) of pregnancy is different for every woman, and every pregnancy. According to the Office on Women’s Health, one of the most common early signs is a missed menstrual period.

Common signs and symptoms of pregnancy

The most common early signs and symptoms of pregnancy might include:

Spotting or light spotting (also called implantation bleeding). Implantation bleeding, in women who experience it, can be a confusing symptom of pregnancy. When the embryo implants into the uterine wall, some blood may be released. However, only about 20 to 30 percent of women experience this bleeding, which is really more like a pink or very light red discharge of blood. Any bleeding that is not your period should be discussed with your doctor.

Cramping.Mild cramping during pregnancy is common during week 5. As your baby grows, your uterus and other tissues around it will grow as well. It’s important to see a doctor right away if you experience discomfort that’s worse than period cramps, especially if it’s followed by a high temperature or diarrhea.
Morning sickness. This could be the week that morning sickness finally hits you if it hasn’t already. Nausea that usually occurs in the morning can strike at any moment. It could be set off by anything, including certain motions, odors, an empty stomach, or perhaps nothing at all. Keep some crackers or other simple starchy snacks on hand for those unexpected spells of nausea.
Exhaustion. It’s normal to feel wiped out from pregnancy exhaustion. Naps may assist when your progesterone levels rise and cause you to feel increasingly sleepy, and some women report that modest exercise and small meals help, too. Too little iron can lead to anemia, which in turn can make you feel weary all the time.
Moodiness.The surge of hormones that occur during pregnancy can cause a woman to experience an outpouring of feelings, including sadness and even tears. Additionally, it is not uncommon to notice shifts in one’s mood.

Frequent urination. It is also typical to have to use the restroom more frequently than usual during this time. Your kidneys are putting in extra hours of effort in order to handle the more fluid that is currently in your body.
Mood swings. The remainder of your pregnancy could be rife with emotional ups and downs. The first trimester is when mood swings are most likely, the second is when they tend to lessen, and the third is when they can return. You can quickly and easily feel better by doing things like eating healthy, talking to friends, sleeping, and doing modest exercise.
Constipation. When your hormones change, your digestive system slows down, causing constipation.
Food aversions. It’s possible that you will become more sensitive to certain odors and tastes when you’re pregnant. Hormonal changes can explain these food preferences, as well as most other pregnancy symptoms.
Nasal congestion. A rise in hormone levels and blood production can cause your mucous membranes to swell, dry out, and bleed easily. As a result, you may feel stuffy or have a runny nose.

No symptoms week 5 pregnancy. That’s right, it’s possible to be six weeks pregnant with no symptoms whatsoever! Every pregnancy and every woman is different. For example, some women never experience morning sickness, so if you’re one of the lucky few, enjoy these nausea-free days without worry.

5 weeks pregnant belly size

Your belly is tiny at 5 weeks. It probably doesn’t even look like it could be growing anything but a few cells at this point. In fact, it’s more likely that the rest of your body has grown more than just the embryo itself! Even though it’s small, there are many changes happening inside that are preparing for life outside of you.

Most first-time pregnancies don’t show until around week 12. If you’ve had previous pregnancies you may show earlier as a result of stretching of the muscles in your uterus and belly.

5 weeks pregnant ultrasound

Only the gestational sac and the yolk sac will be seen at this time. The embryo, which at this point is probably a little white coiled object, may be visible to the mother and the sonographer.

The yolk sac, a little white circle, will be found all around the embryo. The embryo’s yolk sac provides vital nutrients and stimulates the development of blood cells in the womb.

Can you see a baby at 5 weeks on an ultrasound?

At five weeks pregnant, you probably won’t be able to see much of anything on an ultrasound. The baby is still very tiny at this point, and the ultrasound will likely just show a blur. However, your doctor may be able to tell if the pregnancy is progressing normally by looking at the size of the gestational sac.

Preparing for Pregnancy

To jumpstart a healthy pregnancy you might consider taking prenatal vitamins, drinking orange juice for folic acid, and getting some exercise. You may not even realize when you first become pregnant so refrain from drinking alcohol, taking drugs, or smoking cigarettes when you’re trying to conceive. Even prescriptions may be harmful to your developing baby, so be sure to speak to your doctor when you’re ready to start a family.

The importance of prenatal vitamins during pregnancy

During pregnancy, you need a greater amount of folic acid and iron. Why? Here are some reasons:

Folic acid prevents neural tube defects. These defects affect the fetal brain and spinal cord in a significant way. Preferably, you should begin taking extra folic acid three months before you become pregnant.
The placenta and baby require iron to develop. The body uses iron to make blood to supply oxygen to the baby. Additionally, iron helps prevent anemia, a condition in which the blood lacks healthy red blood cells

It’s important to consult your doctor or healthcare provider to find out which are the best prenatal vitamins to take before pregnancy, and how to calculate your expected delivery date.

Can you get a positive pregnancy test at 5 weeks

Yes, you are now in your second month of pregnancy. You can take a pregnancy test this week since your hCG hormone levels are high enough to indicate a positive result, and you may be experiencing early symptoms such as fatigue and nausea.

5 weeks pregnant hCG levels

At 5 weeks pregnant, your hCG levels can range from about 217 to 8,245 mIU/m. This means that at this stage.

Foods and Beverages You Should Avoid During Pregnancy

Some foods should only be eaten occasionally, while others should be altogether avoided. Here are some foods and drinks to avoid or consume in moderation when expecting.

Mercury-rich seafood should be avoided

Seafood can be a fantastic source of protein, and many fish contain omega-3 fatty acids that can help your baby’s brain and eye development. The mercury levels in some fish and shellfish, however, may be harmful. The developing neural system of your child could suffer from too much mercury.

The likelihood of mercury content increases with fish size and age. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you abstain from during pregnancy:

Bigeye tuna
King mackerel
Marlin
Orange roughy

Swordfish
Shark
Tilefish

What then is safe? Some varieties of seafood don’t have much mercury in them. Two or three servings of seafood per week, or 8 to 12 ounces (224 to 336 grams), are advised by the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Consider:

Anchovies

Catfish
Cod
Herring
Light canned tuna
Pacific oysters

Pollock
Salmon
Sardines
Shad
Shrimp

Tilapia
Trout

However, limit white (albacore) tuna to 6 ounces (168 grams) a week.

Undercooked, raw, or contaminated seafood should be avoided

To avoid harmful bacteria or viruses in seafood:

Avoid raw fish and shellfish. The following foods should not be eaten raw or undercooked: sushi, sashimi, ceviche, oysters, scallops, and clams.

Avoid refrigerated, uncooked seafood. Nova style seafood, lox, kippered, smoked, or jerky are a few examples. If smoked seafood is a component of a casserole or other cooked meal, it is acceptable to consume it. Versions that are canned and shelf-stable are also secure.
Understand local fish advisories. Pay attention to regional fish warnings if you consume fish from nearby waters, especially if water pollution is an issue. Eat no more fish that week if you have any doubts about the security of the fish you have already consumed.
Cook seafood properly. Fish should be cooked to a temperature of 145 F. (63 C). Fish is considered to be finished when it flakes and becomes opaque all throughout. Cook the lobster, scallops, and shrimp until they are milky white. Oysters, mussels, and clams should be cooked until their shells open. If any don’t open, throw them away.

Undercooked meat, poultry, and eggs should be avoided

When you are pregnant, you have a higher risk of getting bacterial food poisoning. It is possible that your reaction would have been more severe if you were not pregnant. The effects of food poisoning on infants are rare.

To prevent foodborne illness:

Fully cook all meats and poultry before eating. Use a meat thermometer to make sure.
Cook hot dogs and luncheon meats until they’re steaming hot — or avoid them completely. They can be sources of a rare but potentially serious foodborne illness known as a listeria infection.
Avoid refrigerated pates and meat spreads. Canned and shelf-stable versions, however, are OK.
Cook eggs until the egg yolks and whites are firm. Raw eggs can be contaminated with harmful bacteria. Avoid foods made with raw or partially cooked eggs, such as eggnog, raw batter, and freshly made or homemade hollandaise sauce, and Caesar salad dressing.

Don’t eat unpasteurized foods

Many low-fat dairy products, like skim milk, mozzarella cheese, and cottage cheese, might be beneficial to your diet. However, anything made with raw milk is forbidden. Foodborne sickness may result from these goods.

Unless they are clearly labeled as pasteurized or made with pasteurized milk, avoid soft cheeses like brie, feta and blue cheese. You should also avoid drinking juice that has not been pasteurized.

Don’t eat unwashed fruits and vegetables

All raw fruits and vegetables should be thoroughly washed to get rid of any dangerous bacteria. Steer clear of raw sprouts of any kind, including mung bean, alfalfa, clover, radish, and sprouts made from radish or radish. Ensure that sprouts are properly cooked.

Avoid excessive caffeine consumption

Although caffeine can pass the placenta, it is unclear how it will affect your unborn child. To be safe, your doctor or healthcare provider may advise avoiding caffeine during pregnancy or limiting your intake to less than 200 milligrams (mg) per day.

For perspective, an 8-ounce (240-milliliters, or mL) cup of brewed coffee contains about 95 mg of caffeine, an 8-ounce (240-mL) cup of brewed tea contains about 47 mg and a 12-ounce (360-mL) caffeinated cola contains about 33 mg.

Steer clear of herbal tea’s

Little information exists regarding the impact of certain herbs on unborn children. Therefore, refrain from consuming herbal tea unless your doctor approves of it, especially the kinds of herbal tea targeted specifically towards pregnant women.

Stay away from alcohol

There is no proven safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy. The best option is to completely avoid alcohol.

Analyze the dangers. Alcohol use increases the chance of stillbirth and miscarriage during pregnancy. Fetal alcohol syndrome, which can lead to facial abnormalities and intellectual incapacity, may also be brought on by alcohol consumption.

Consult your healthcare professional if you have any concerns about the alcohol you consumed before finding out you were pregnant or if you believe you need support to stop drinking.