Pregnancy Weeks 1 to 4First Trimester | Pregnancy Week 5
The Mom:
During the first two weeks of your cycle, your body is
preparing to ovulate. Hormones are stimulating your
ovaries to produce and release an ovum. They are also
signaling the endometrium to thicken, readying it to
receive a fertilized egg!
Ovulation usually occurs about 2 weeks after your last
period. Once it occurs, the egg begins traveling down
your fallopian tube. This is usually where the
fertilzation takes place as well.
If you have a normal 28 day cycle, you are probably looking for your period this week. Your body is making HCG or Human Chorionic Gonadotropin. Home pregnancy kits measure the amounts of HCG present in your urine. You could probably get a postive result on a home pregnancy kit. Keep in mind that tests vary widely in the amount of HCG needed in order to register postive.
Once fertilization takes place, the ovum continues on
its way to the uterus, where it will implant in the
uterine lining. During that trip thru the tube, the
fertilized single cell egg, had begun dividing. By the
time, it implants in the uterus, it has grown into over
100 cells, with a fluid filled cavity. This is called
the blastocyst. It has 2 layers, the outer one will
form the placenta, the inner one will become your
baby!
Once implantation occurs, your cervix gets slightly
wider and softer, and a thick mucous plug seals off the
uterus to protect it from infection. Some women experience
cramping and spotting on implantation.
You probably aren't even aware that you are pregnant yet, but
your unborn baby is already developing and sex has been determined.
The Baby:
The fertilized egg is undergoing rapid cell division. It will implant in your uterine lining this week. Once implantation occurs, it's called a blastocyst and is very tiny. It only measures 0.1-0.2 mm in diameter. A yolk sak has developed and will be the nourishment for baby until the placenta is formed and takes over. Did you know that the sex and other characteristics of your baby have already been decided? It's all in the DNA code that was formed when the sperm and egg first met.
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Each pregnancy, expectant mother, and unborn child is different. Your pregnancy may not progress the same as the information found here. The information here is based on the average pregnancy. It's not meant to be a replacement for any advice your may receive from your doctor. If you have any concerns about your pregnancy, we advise you to contact your doctor.
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