Pregnancy Week By Week

Pregnancy Week 4		(–)Pregnancy Week 3		(+) Pregnancy Week 5
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Your Baby
During pregnancy week four your baby is still very tiny, probably less than .04 inches long. That means your baby may be at most 1mm long, which is quite small. Keep in mind however that as you continue your pregnancy week by week your body and your baby will change and grow dramatically!

Changes In Your Growing Baby
During pregnancy week 4 your baby starts implanting into the lining of your uterus. The uterus will safely and securely house your baby for the remaining weeks of your pregnancy week by week. Your baby will start resembling a tiny tadpole more than a ball of cells during pregnancy 4 weeks. This week your baby's amniotic cavity starts to form. From this cavity the placenta will grow and nourish your baby throughout your pregnancy.

The placenta is vital to your baby's health and well being during your pregnancy week by week. The placenta is mainly comprised of vascular networks and blood that carry oxygen and vital nutrients to your baby. During pregnancy week 4 many start referring to your baby as an embryo. During this time your baby's vital organs begin to take shape. Because of this from here on out your baby undergoes a critical period in his development. It is more important than ever from pregnancy 4 weeks on that you avoid exposing your body or your baby to harmful substances that can damage your baby.

Many substances are harmful for babies and can cause fetal malformations or deformities. Common substances that are known to be harmful include tobacco and alcohol. Substance abuse of any kind is contraindicated during pregnancy. If you have problems with any of these substances you should consult with your healthcare provider. Together the two of you can work out a plan of action for ensuring the health and safety of your baby during your pregnancy. Fortunately there are many support groups that support recovering addicts during their pregnancy. Remember it is vital to your health and the health of your unborn baby that you are open and honest with your healthcare practitioner about your lifestyle habits.

Your Body's Development
By 4 weeks pregnant you should be anxiously hoping that Aunt Flo will skip you buy this month. For many women the first sign they are pregnant is a missed period. During pregnancy week four if you miss your period there is a good chance you may be pregnant!

During the early weeks of your pregnancy before the placenta has time to fully form, the corpus luteum produces progesterone to help support the pregnancy. By roughly pregnancy week 12 however the placenta takes over this function and produces the progesterone your body needs to support your growing baby.

Some women have low progesterone levels. This may compromise a pregnancy and is sometimes the cause of repeat miscarriages. If you suspect you have low progesterone consult with your doctor. Fortunately there are a number of safe and effective treatments to overcome this problem!

Changes In Your Body
By 4 weeks pregnant you might start feeling a little bit pregnant. The most common symptom women experience this early in pregnancy (aside from a missed period) is increasing fatigue. That's no surprise given the work your body is performing to create a new life! Other women feel some mild abdominal cramping in early pregnancy while some report increasing breast tenderness.

By four weeks pregnant you should be able to take a home pregnancy test. You should call your healthcare provider as soon as you get a positive result to schedule your first prenatal visit. Most healthcare providers won't see patients until they are eight to ten weeks pregnant (unless they are in a high risk category) but you may need to schedule your appointment a few weeks in advance. Your doctor can also prescribe prenatals for you and ensure you are taking important steps to protect your health and that of your babies during your early pregnancy weeks.

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