5 Weeks Pregnant - Signs of Pregnancy
Mother
At 5 weeks pregnant you may begin to strongly suspect pregnancy as it is now that you will miss a period! Many women buy a test this week to confirm their suspicions and these are available at local pharmacies, super markets.
Alternatively you can ask your GP or Family Planning Clinic to test you! Normally, all that is required is a urine specimen, although sometimes a blood test may be used.
If your pregnancy was unplanned and you've become pregnant whilst using an IUD (intrauterine device) for contraception, your doctor will need to check that the pregnancy is not developing outside your womb (ectopic) and the IUD may need to be removed as it could result in a miscarriage.
If your test is positive your GP will advise that you avoid certain foods such as unpasteurised eggs and cheese, pate and raw or runny eggs as these can cause dangerous illnesses which can harm the developing embryo.
Baby
The embryo is growing rapidly now and for the next few weeks as all the major organs and systems develop. In fact, by the end of this week he will already have the beginnings of a brain, spinal cord and lungs. His umbilical cord develops and the heart will start to beat over the next week or two!