The small life you and your spouse made just a week ago is implanting and settling into its new home in your uterus during week 4, where it will grow and develop over the next 36 weeks. The pregnancy hormone hCG rises in tandem with implantation. There may be enough hCG by the end of this week to detect with a sensitive early home pregnancy test.
How Big Is a Four-Week-Pregnant Baby?
Baby is smaller than a poppy seed at 4 weeks pregnant—practically microscopic. Baby is now known as a blastocyst, a tiny ball of cells, and is busy settling into their new home (your uterus), preparing for all the important development that will take place over the next six weeks.
Baby Development
The embryo grows and develops within the lining of your womb during weeks 4 to 5 of early pregnancy.
- The outer cells extend their reach to connect with your blood supply.
- The inner cells divide into two layers, which are later joined together to form three layers.
Each of these layers will develop into various parts of your baby's body
- The inner layer develops into the respiratory and digestive systems, which include the lungs, stomach, gut, and bladder.
- The heart, blood vessels, muscles, and bones are formed by the middle layer.
- The outer layer develops into the brain and nervous system, as well as the eye lenses, tooth enamel, skin, and nails.
The embryo is attached to a tiny yolk sac that provides nourishment in the early weeks of pregnancy.
Week 4 Growths of twins
If you're having twins, your first-trimester symptoms may be intensified. After all, you have two gifts of joy, therefore your hormone levels are bound to be greater. You might even realize you're pregnant sooner than you would if you were just carrying one child. You can find out if you're pregnant this week by taking a pregnancy test, but the number of babies won't be known until your first doctor's appointment, which is normally around week 8. If you've had fertility treatment, your initial appointment may be sooner.
Symptoms of pregnancy at 4 weeks
You might not notice much going on with your body at this point. In fact, if women don't keep good track of their menstrual periods or if their cycles are erratic, they may not realize they're pregnant for weeks.
However, around week four of your pregnancy, you may notice the following:
- Soreness in the breasts
- Exhaustion
- Urination is common.
- Nauseous
- Heightened olfactory or gustatory perception
- Food aversions or desires
In general, symptoms at week 4 are similar to premenstrual symptoms. Many women are convinced that their periods will begin at any moment.
Prevention remedies
The following are some home remedies for common early pregnancy symptoms:
- Nausea is uncommon this early in the pregnancy, but if you do experience it, try eating small, frequent meals and avoiding foods that cause nausea. Snacking on carbohydrates and tart foods provides relief for many women.
- Wear a supportive bra during the day and to bed if it helps relieve sore breasts.
- If you're feeling sluggish in the afternoon, try taking a catnap. Exercise can also provide you with a much-needed energy boost.
- If you're going to the bathroom too frequently, you might want to cut back on your liquid intake. But don't go too far, because you need the hydration now more than ever.
Reference
- https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/week-by-week/1-to-12/4-weeks/#:~:text=In%20weeks%204%20to%205,then%20later%20into%203%20layers.