In weeks 4 to 5 of early pregnancy, the embryo grows and develops within the lining of your womb. The outer cells reach out to form links with your blood supply. The inner cells form into 2, and then later into 3 layers.
Get around a queasy tummy
Around 4 weeks pregnant, you may be just starting to feel nauseous and experience aversions to certain foods, smells and textures.
At 4 weeks pregnant, the tiny life inside you (which is technically an embryo) is implanting in your uterus, where it will grow and develop over the next 36 weeks. Along with implantation in the uterine lining, comes a rise in the pregnancy hormone hCG.
Left occiput anterior: The head is down, the fetus is facing the pregnant person's back, and they are in the left side of the womb. Right occiput anterior: The position is the same as that above, but the fetus is in the womb's right side. Posterior: The head is down, and the back is in line with the pregnant person's.
The fetus is inside the membrane sac within the uterus and high within the abdomen. The muscles of your abdomen support much of its weight.
But an ultrasound doesn't immediately show what women might expect. It's typically not until a woman is six weeks pregnant that any part of the fetus is visible, which allows the doctor to determine whether a pregnancy will be viable.
Implantation can be completed as early as eight days or as late as 18 days after fertilization, but usually takes about 14 days. Between one-third and one-half of all fertilized eggs never fully implant.
After implantation, production of hCG starts from cells in the developing placenta (tissue that will feed the fetus). Trace levels of hCG can be detected as early as eight days after ovulation. That means you could get positive results several days before you expect your period to start.
Early pregnancy symptoms (at 4 weeks)
a missed period (often one of the first signs of pregnancy) a metallic taste in your mouth. sore breasts. nausea - also known as morning sickness, although you can experience it at any time (read about morning sickness in week 6)
How does a pregnant belly feel in early pregnancy? For most of your first trimester, you may not feel much, if any, difference in your belly. It will probably be soft and look a little bigger – similar to when you get bloated during your period or after you've eaten a large meal.
Baby flutters occur when a pregnant woman feels the movement of the fetus. For the first 18 to 20 weeks, a woman is not likely to feel any fetal movement. During the early stages of pregnancy, the fetus is not big or strong enough to make noticeable movements.
If implantation is successful, tiny amounts of the pregnancy hormone, hCG, can start to appear in your urine from around 7 – 9 days after ovulation. It is this hormone that all home pregnancy tests detect.
The sensation is different from person to person, but in most cases, they feel like mild cramps, usually dull and aching, or light twinges. Some people also describe feeling a prickling, tingling, or pulling sensation. The sensations may come and go or last for one to two days before disappearing.
Some women do notice signs and symptoms that implantation has occurred. Signs may include light bleeding, cramping, nausea, bloating, sore breasts, headaches, mood swings, and possibly a change in basal body temperature. But — and here's the frustrating part — many of these signs are very similar to PMS.
Even at week 4, it's never too early to start healthy habits. Try eating whole foods, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and, if you aren't already, start taking a prenatal vitamin. Exercise is also a great way to ease pregnancy symptoms and keep your body and baby healthy.
The most conclusive way of finding out is to have an ultrasound done by your doctor or midwife to see baby's heartbeat. I say "most" conclusive, because even with an ultrasound, if you are early in your pregnancy, it can be difficult to see or detect a heartbeat with 100% accuracy.
Things to look out for include light bleeding and light cramps. The light bleeding, or spotting, that sometimes occurs is called implantation bleeding. It happens when the fertilized egg attaches to your uterine lining.
A doctor's blood test can detect pregnancy just a few days earlier than a home test — usually around 10 days after you ovulate.
During the first trimester, your body is preparing for the growing fetus. These changes can cause cramping that is typically mild and temporary. This is expected and not a cause for concern as long as the pain doesn't become intense, chronic, or occur alongside other more worrisome symptoms, such as vaginal bleeding.
Highlights at 4 Weeks Pregnant
Your baby is teensy tiny, about the size of a poppy seed at 0.04 inches long. It's possible not to notice any symptoms at 4 weeks pregnant, but if you do, you'll likely experience common things like bloating, breast tenderness, fatigue, or spotting—all exciting signs that you're pregnant!
Yup, your baby on board can feel — and respond — when you stroke your tummy.
The hormone HCG does take a week after implantation to reach a detectable concentration. Despite seeing symptoms of implantation bleeding, the woman needs to wait for another week before taking a pregnancy test.
Most women experience implantation cramps in their lower abdomen or lower back. On occasion these cramps will be isolated to one side of the body and be felt within the lower right or lower left side of your abdomen.
Light (so light you may not even notice it) Light pink to pink in color (although it doesn't have to be a specific color) Doesn't have blood clots in it. Shorter than your period (1-2 days)