The first trimester of pregnancy is a very important stage in which the baby develops actively. It is during this period that a woman should be very careful because of the high risks of miscarriage. In addition, any stress or a common cold can cause some deviations from the norms in the development of crumbs. Therefore, each mother should know what happens to her at the 7th week of pregnancy in order to properly respond to the changes. We will give readers comprehensive information on how the baby develops and what to expect at a given time. We will also consider what happens to mom at 7 weeks of gestation, and what symptoms should alert her.
Pregnancy: real and obstetric
A photo of the girl taken at 7 weeks of pregnancy will not show any significant changes in her figure and appearance. And this is quite natural, taking into account the fact that the expectant mother is at the very beginning of her term and she has all the visible changes in the future. We can say that the 7th week of pregnancy is obstetric, which means that about five real weeks have passed since the conception of your baby.
If you want more accurate calculations, you need to take into account that this period also means three weeks from the time the period is delayed. Usually, after ten days of delay, women begin to turn to tests and make an appointment with the doctor. Therefore, by the time we are describing, they no longer have any doubts about their situation.
Keep in mind that regardless of how exactly you plan to count your pregnancy, you will have to name the obstetric term during medical procedures or regular doctor visits. More precisely, he will be put on an ultrasound examination, which the obstetrician will appoint in the antenatal clinic after the first visit with suspected pregnancy.
In our article, we will also talk about the 7th obstetric week of pregnancy, so do not forget that it is counted from the first day of the onset of the last menstruation.
Baby size
Usually mothers are very interested in how exactly their baby looks at one time or another, and with what it can be compared in size. Naturally, at 7 weeks of pregnancy, the size of the baby is quite small, despite the fact that the uterus has already doubled during this time interval.
Specialists usually claim that the baby in the stomach is very similar to a white bean. Its size does not exceed thirteen millimeters, and often fluctuates within five millimeters. Interestingly, the very shape of the crumb body is similar to beans. It is slightly curved, and the head reaches half the size of the body.
The baby’s weight at 7 weeks of pregnancy approaches one gram, and its appearance does not resemble a sweet and pink-cheeked baby, which he will be at the end of nine months.
Brief description of child development rates
The development of the fetus at 7 weeks of gestation, and this is how the doctors begin to call the embryo from that time, is growing rapidly. Literally every day metamorphoses occur with the baby and new organs are laid. The most important of them - the heart and brain are already fully formed and in the future they will only increase in size and develop. It is noteworthy that even in this state, the brain is able to give commands to the rudiments of the muscular system. As a result, the baby begins to try to produce the very first movements. However, this does not affect mother's sensations at 7 weeks of pregnancy. She will only feel how the baby moves in a few weeks. Depending on the physique of the pregnant woman, this will be noticeable at approximately thirteen to eighteen weeks.
We already wrote that the baby resembles beans in its appearance. A future neck is just beginning to form between the head and body, and the eyes look like two black beads without eyelids. They are translucent leathery folds. After a while, they will become denser and the fetus will be able to close and open their eyes.
It is noteworthy that the development at 7 weeks of pregnancy is characterized by the presence of gills. At this stage, they are already barely distinguishable, and soon they will completely disappear. The crumbs also have a small tail. It consists of coccygeal vertebrae and as the fetus develops, it becomes part of its spine.
7th week of pregnancy: what happens to the baby
The baby’s skeleton at this time consists entirely of cartilage, it is improved and developed daily. Gradually, hands, forearms and joints begin to take shape. Soon they will become clearly distinguishable, and the baby will begin to actively move. The fingers on the appeared handles are still fused, but after a certain time they will separate. But the legs of the fetus will get their usual form for us much later than the hands. The legs in this period of pregnancy are more like small fins.
The facial features of the fetus at this stage are barely distinguishable. At 7 weeks of gestation, only the rudiments of the nose, upper lip and ears are formed. The baby will gradually acquire its own features, similar to mom's or dad's.
Despite the fact that the brain and heart have already begun their work, organs gradually complicate their work. The heart becomes four-chamber, the brain is divided into departments and hemispheres. The baby's trachea becomes wider, in parallel, the formation of what will become bronchi in the future occurs. The fetus appears appendix, esophagus, large intestine and liver. This tiny organ is already capable of producing its own blood cells.
If we make some generalizations, we can conclude that at the 7th obstetric week of pregnancy, the internal organs of the baby are almost completely formed and are becoming more developed every day.
Circulatory system: exchange between mother and child
What happens to the baby at 7 weeks of pregnancy yet? Doctors call this period very important, since right now the circulatory system is being established, which will connect the mother and child throughout pregnancy.
The fact is that in the very first weeks, the nutrition of the embryo was provided by the yolk sac. It also produces the necessary amount of hormones that preserve the tiny life. However, at 7 weeks of gestation (we will post a photo of the embryo just below), the placenta takes on these functions. The formed umbilical cord begins to supply the baby with everything necessary, forming a uterine-placental flow. From this moment, the mother and the child become even more connected until the baby is born.
Obstetricians note that at this stage of pregnancy, a woman should not be nervous and overstrained. Indeed, stress will prevent the proper formation of the placenta and its attachment to the walls of the uterus. A similar situation can lead to fetal death and miscarriage.
Changes in mom's appearance
What happens at 7 weeks of pregnancy with mom? A woman expecting a baby at this time can observe a lot of changes in her appearance and well-being. However, it is quite difficult for outsiders to notice them, since the stomach at 7 weeks of pregnancy does not protrude from under the clothes. But some expectant mothers, standing in front of the mirror, note that the lower part has become a little convex. But other women, distinguished by a solid physique, may not at all see any changes in the figure until five months of pregnancy.
At this time, expectant mothers complain of swelling of the mammary glands, which in turn cause an increase in breast volume. Many go shopping to buy larger underwear. Otherwise, a small bra will slow down blood circulation in the vessels and compress the chest.
Do not forget that the hormonal background at the indicated time is constantly changing. And this causes a lot of skin problems. In some mothers, they are expressed in acne, while others suffer from age spots. Also, many note that the structure of the skin has changed. Previously, elastic skin has become more loose and soft. This is due to the fact that in the future she will have to stretch several times.
Often women observe sinus congestion. At the same time, when trying to clean them, mucus does not come out. This fact is also associated with hormonal restructuring of the body and in the future the condition stabilizes.
In a certain part of expectant mothers, a dark streak forms on the stomach. It starts at the navel and stretches to the pubis. After childbirth, it becomes lighter and then disappears altogether.
Feeling pregnant
It is rare that one of the women manages seven weeks of pregnancy without any unpleasant sensations, but if they nevertheless passed you, we can congratulate you - you have excellent health. But still, most of the expectant mothers by this period begin to suffer from various problems.
Naturally, the most unpleasant of all the symptoms is toxicosis. Nausea can be caused by any smell or taste and accompany the pregnant woman throughout the first trimester. Toxicosis is explained by the production of certain hormones necessary in order to preserve the baby, who at first is perceived by the body as a foreign body. The increased hormonal background makes it possible for the baby to stay in the mother's body and fully develop. However, the mother herself can seriously suffer from a similar situation. Many even begin to lose weight, which negatively affects pregnancy. To alleviate toxicosis, you need to adhere to several rules:
- since in the morning nausea usually manifests itself most strongly, you need to eat food without getting out of bed;
- using the sample method, select those foods that your body takes;
- working expectant mothers must always carry drinking water, cookies or an apple, and in case of vomiting a plastic bag.
In some cases, toxicosis can take a severe form at the seventh week of pregnancy. Women can not eat a single piece of food due to constant vomiting, and if some food enters the stomach, it is not absorbed in it. As a result, the pregnant woman develops anemia, which adversely affects her health and the development of the baby. In such situations, it will be difficult to do without the help of doctors. However, this form of toxicosis occurs in a very small number of women.
Almost every expectant mother notes her unstable emotional state. She may simultaneously want to laugh and cry, and any nuisance can cause panic.
Often, pregnant women complain of severe weakness, inability to concentrate, drowsiness, increased fatigue, dizziness and pulling back pain. A growing uterus begins to put pressure on the bladder, so women have to constantly run to the toilet. Sometimes this happens literally in thirty minutes. Naturally, this situation gives women a lot of inconvenience. However, do not worry, after a while the body will get used to an enlarging uterus and urination will become more rare.
In the seventh week of pregnancy, many feel a lack of oxygen. The sense of smell is aggravated and plays a cruel joke with women, they complain of obsessive smells, and those aromas that previously seemed pleasant now cause irritation.
Medical examination
Seven weeks is the time when it comes time to register with the antenatal clinic if you have not done so before. The doctor will examine the pregnant woman and prescribe a series of examinations and tests that must be passed in the shortest possible time. Even if you feel good, do not neglect a visit to the hospital. After all, you can not suspect about existing problems, which for the time being do not make themselves felt.
First of all, the doctor will want to know your weight, so that in the future to count the gained kilograms from it. During your first visit, he will write you a referral for a blood test. Moreover, this will be several tests that will show not only your general condition, but also the presence or absence of genital infections. At the same time, a swab from the vagina is done.
The doctor necessarily measures the growth of the pregnant woman and determines the size of the pelvis. This is important for future delivery. Ultrasound is sometimes prescribed. At 7 weeks of pregnancy, such an examination is not often done, usually it is carried out much later - closer to the fourteenth week. At the time that we are describing, an ultrasound scan will help to rule out an ectopic pregnancy and give information about how many embryos are in the uterine cavity.
Discharge at 7 weeks of gestation
Do not be afraid of vaginal discharge, which are completely natural. If everything is normal with your health, then they will have a transparent color and a slightly viscous consistency. Within the normal range and highlight whitish, turning into light sand. They should not have a pronounced smell.
But the appearance of brownish, yellowish or greenish discharge with a sharp unpleasant odor should alert any pregnant woman. This is an indirect sign of any infection. It is necessary to get rid of it as soon as possible so that it does not have time to harm the baby.
The threat of pregnancy is most often accompanied by scarlet, dark brown or pink discharge. Their appearance should be the reason for immediate medical attention. Otherwise, you face serious problems that can lead to fetal death:
- Detachment of the placenta. In the case when this happens, the baby can die in just a few tens of minutes. But if you consult a doctor on time, then there is every chance, following the recommendations, to report pregnancy.
- Hematoma. Sometimes during pregnancy hematomas form in the uterus. They are accompanied by pain in the lower abdomen and spotting.
- The tone of the uterus. An increase in the tone of the uterus, if you do not pay attention to it, will lead to a miscarriage. This problem is usually expressed in brown discharge and pulling girdle pain. In this case, the doctor will direct the pregnant woman to hospitalization. During treatment, she will be injected with special drugs. At home, you will have to avoid stress, weight lifting and any work, accompanied by inclines and a long stay in an upright position.
- Frozen pregnancy. A problem of this nature precludes a successful outcome. Women learn about a missed pregnancy after being sent for an ultrasound, in which case the fetus has already died, and the doctors will not be able to help.
- Ectopic pregnancy. A small percentage of pregnancies end this way. The embryo does not reach the uterus and stops in the tube, in the process of development it increases and can break it. This causes bleeding and can even be fatal for a woman.
- Miscarriage. If you notice abundant bloody discharge with clots, accompanied by pain and fever, then consult a doctor immediately.
Keep in mind that with any discharge that resembles blood and unpleasant symptoms, it is better not to hope for chance and call an ambulance.
A few words about nutrition
By the seventh week of pregnancy, women should understand that some products for them fall into the category of prohibited. But others can be eaten in large quantities and be sure that they will only benefit.
Future mothers who have to deal with toxicosis should also adhere to a certain weight. Do not assume that now you can eat for two, eating a huge amount of food daily. As a result, excess weight will be gained very quickly and will interfere with the pregnant woman in the very early stages.
The menu should include foods fortified with calcium, as well as fish and eggs. They are necessary for the formation of the bone skeleton and teeth of the baby. If calcium is not enough for him, then he will begin to take it from the mother's body.
To avoid constipation and other unpleasant digestion problems, be sure to eat vegetables, fruits and any greens. They contain fiber, necessary for the normal functioning of the intestine.
Many pregnant women are faced with iron deficiency anemia, for its prevention you need to eat red meat, steamed or baked.
From your diet at the earliest possible dates, you should completely exclude pickles, smoked meats, fast food, alcohol and starchy foods. They do not benefit either the mother or the baby. In addition, such food can cause all kinds of problems with the digestive tract.