During the sixth week of pregnancy something very important happens in the development of your baby: his heart begins to work and beat. In addition, it is already possible to do the first ultrasound.
Sixth week of pregnancy. The most important:
You are in the sixth week of pregnancy. After the implantation of the embryo and the formation of the heart, during this week you will be able to hear its first heartbeats if you have the first ultrasound of the pregnancy.
Week 6 of pregnancy (Week 4 of gestation).
During this week the neural tube of the embryo begins to close, in which the mother’s folic acid levels are essential so that malformations do not occur. Remember to follow a varied diet rich in foods with folic acid.
Don’t forget to keep taking your folic acid, iodine, and iron supplement. During this week they are even more important.
It is possible that this week you will have the first appointment with your gynecologist. If so, you will also have the first ultrasound. In it you will probably see the embryo and listen to its heartbeat, if all goes well.
Once the embryo has implanted in the uterus, a surprising development and growth process begins, faster than you possibly think. In fact, during the sixth week of pregnancy something extremely important will happen for your future baby: a still primitive heart will begin to form, which will begin to beat and begin to pump blood throughout its little body. Although it still has two small blood vessels, its heartbeat is very strong and energetic.
The development of the baby, therefore, continues its course, as it is possible that you too begin to feel changes in your body, but for the moment not so evident and that only you could feel, such as the first nausea and vomiting, or increased tenderness and pain in the breasts.
The development of the baby during the sixth week of pregnancy
Although the embryo is still quite small, since this week it tends to measure between 2-4 millimeters, during these days that begin there are many and great changes, many of them very important and surprising. In fact, at the end of this week it will be able to measure 6 mm. And if you have an ultrasound during this week it is very likely that you will already be able to see it.
Inside the lungs, the different muscle fibers begin to form and the neural tube begins to close, from which the spinal cord and brain will be formed. A set of cells are also formed that will later become the eyes and the ear (known as primordia), and which at the moment are black spots or dots located on both sides of his head, still very large.
We are in a very important week from which a large part of the baby’s body organs begin to form. For this reason, if the expectant mother does not follow healthy guidelines from the beginning of pregnancy, it is possible that malformations in the fetus may arise, such as neural tube defects as a result of inadequate levels of folic acid.
Also, your heart begins to beat. It does it very fast, much more if we compare it with the heartbeat of an adult. Your heartbeat can reach 150 beats in these weeks.
What changes and symptoms occur in a woman’s body during week 6 of pregnancy?
Although it is already possible to begin to feel the early symptoms of pregnancy from week 4 of pregnancy, during this sixth week they become much more evident signs, mainly due to the fact that the fetus develops and evolves very quickly, by leaps and bounds .
Therefore, the symptoms that you may feel during these days are the following:
- Morning sickness and / or vomiting.
- Tenderness, temperature change and breast enlargement.
- The urge to go to the bathroom frequently to urinate.
- Constipation and / or heartburn.
- Increased feeling of tiredness and weakness.
- Intolerance to certain flavors or smells.
- Headache.
- Excessive salivation.
You may also feel constant mood swings. For example, it is common for you to feel a certain nervousness and fear about the beginning of the pregnancy and that everything is going well, and that at times you feel happy and other times sad or in a bad mood.
The first consultation with your gynecologist and also the first pregnancy ultrasound
As many gynecologists advise, and as we have commented in the previous weeks, from the sixth week it is much safer to perform the first pregnancy ultrasound. Why? Mainly because if you do it ahead of time it is possible that the embryo cannot be seen inside the gestational sac, which can lead to confusion and some nervousness on the part of future parents.
If you are lucky enough to hear your heart beat this week you will probably be surprised at how fast it beats. Don’t be scared, it’s normal. These days it beats very fast, around 140 to 150 beats per minute.
Therefore, if all goes well, during this week the embryo can already reach 6 millimeters, so it can already be visible. In addition, your heart has started to work and beat, so it is also possible to hear your heartbeat on this first ultrasound.
Helpful tips during the sixth week of pregnancy
- Take folic acid: Whether you started taking it before pregnancy (because it is a planned pregnancy), or if you started taking it after the positive pregnancy test, remember to keep taking folic acid. It is a fundamental vitamin, especially during this week, in which the neural tube of the embryo begins to close. In addition to taking folic acid supplements, you will also find it in the following foods: green leafy vegetables, lentils, beans, asparagus, broccoli, avocado or avocado, whole grain breads and cereals, as well as oranges and other citrus fruits.
- Beware of toxoplasmosis and listeriosis: You should eliminate cold cuts, raw or undercooked meats from your diet, as well as unpasteurized milk and cheeses. Also eliminate raw fish (like sushi).
- Exercise: This is an ideal time to start exercising if you haven’t done it before. Walking and strolling, swimming, or more relaxing options like Pilates or yoga are ideal. It will help you calm the nerves that you may feel during these weeks.
What to expect from the first visit with the gynecologist?
During this week it is quite possible that you will have the first consultation with your gynecologist once you have confirmed your pregnancy. If so, it is also likely that you have many doubts, especially if you are in your first pregnancy.
If so, you don’t have to worry. During this first consultation, your gynecologist will ask you a series of questions and will write down everything important in your medical history. In addition, it will calculate how many weeks you are, based on what was the first day of your last menstrual period.
It is also possible that during this consultation you will perform the first ultrasound, to check the status of the pregnancy: if the embryo has implanted in the correct place (and there is not, for example, an ectopic pregnancy, that there is an embryo inside the gestational sac and that your heartbeat is heard.
However, it is possible that even in this week the embryo is not visualized. If so, this happens for two reasons: because it is still very small, or because it is an anembryonic pregnancy (hollow egg).
