The development of the embryo from conception to birth is a rather difficult period, the well-being of which is determined by the first days of fetal life. Each stage of pregnancy is unique in its own way, has its own characteristics and can cause a variety of sensations in a future mother. The embryo at the 4th week of pregnancy after conception is quite small, but this period is important in its development.
Different methods of counting
There are several ways to determine the gestational age:
- By the date of the last menstruation. When a pregnant woman is registered in a antenatal clinic, gynecologists, as a rule, calculate the term by the obstetric method. They do this as follows: forty weeks are counted from the first day of the last menstruation. This method works quite accurately if a woman has a uniform menstrual cycle, which is strictly 28 days.
- According to the results of ultrasound. This method is one of the most accurate, because thanks to the specific size of the fetus, a specialist can determine the exact term of the fetus and the expected date of birth. An ultrasound examination is performed in the first trimester: starting from the 4th obstetric week of pregnancy and ending with the 13th week. It is worth considering that the later this procedure is carried out, the greater the error.
- On the day of ovulation. If the woman's cycle is twenty-eight days, then ovulation will occur exactly on the fourteenth day. Then we add thirty-eight weeks to this day and get the estimated date of delivery.
- According to the results of the first stirring. As a rule, during the first pregnancy, the expectant mother can feel the first movements at the twentieth week, and during the second pregnancy - at the eighteenth. Remembering this day, you need to add another twenty weeks (in the second case - 22), so you can calculate the date of the birth of the baby.
- According to the examination of a gynecologist. During the examination, a specialist can accurately determine the gestational age and date of birth by assessing the size of the uterus of a pregnant woman.
Fetal development
As you know, the development of the embryo in the 4th week of pregnancy is rapid. After fertilization with a sperm cell, the zygote is divided. Subsequently, this diploid cell enters the embryo stage. The size of the embryo at the 4th week of pregnancy is not more than four millimeters and resembles a small lump of cells, which experts call morula. By the end of the third week, the heart begins to beat in the embryo, this is easily determined using ultrasound. At the same time, the basis of the skeleton is formed in the child - the chord, spinal cord, brain and its parts.
The embryo develops daily. So, from the 24th to the 26th day, the foundation of the central nervous system is laid in the baby, and after that, until the 30th day, his visceral arches, neural tube, and limbs are formed.
By the end of the first month, the embryo in the uterine cavity already has muscle tissue, the spine and the rudiments of the eyeballs. Further growth of the baby involves the development of existing rudiments.
What does an embryo look like in 4 weeks? In the fourth week of pregnancy, the fetus is not protected by the placenta, which subsequently protects the baby from poor-quality food, medications and toxins. Therefore, it is important for the expectant mother to monitor the nutrition and use of various medications. It is during this period that hair, future facial features, the brain, respiratory organs, as well as the cardiovascular, nervous and digestive systems begin to form.
Embryo structure: what does an embryo look like at 4 weeks?
This week of pregnancy is dedicated to creating the habitat needed by the embryo and the production of hormones that support pregnancy.
The size of the embryo at the 4th obstetric week of pregnancy is comparable to the “poppy seed”. The weight of a small grain is about half a gram and growth is not more than four millimeters. But these data instantly change, as the embryo develops every day due to rapid cell division. Specialists in the field of medicine often use the concept of an embryonic disc that forms the embryonic leaf. It is a special layer of cells:
- endoderm (inner layer) gives rise to the lungs, pancreas, liver, and also the digestive tract;
- mesoderm (middle layer) is responsible for the formation of the heart and blood vessels, kidneys, muscles, as well as the skeleton of the child;
- ectoderm (outer layer) is the baby’s future nervous system, skin and head (including hair, teeth and eyes).
Extra germinal organs
It is worth noting that the embryo in the uterine cavity has everything necessary for the full development, including nutrition. The following so-called extra-germ organs are responsible for this:
- The yolk sac contains a supply of nutrition for the embryo. It functions throughout the entire first trimester, after which it resolves independently. It plays an important role in the early stages of pregnancy. Specialists pay great attention to its parameters and condition, since various pathologies or dysfunction of the yolk sac often leads to miscarriage.
- Chorion is one of the components of a normal pregnancy. Its development directly affects the formation of the fetus, because without a stable functioning, the embryo will simply die. As a rule, this membrane appears one week after fertilization and remains until a placenta is formed. Many experts claim that the chorion subsequently develops into the placenta. In part, this statement can be considered true, since at the junction of the upper fetal membrane with the endometrium, a placenta is formed.
- Amnion is a fetal bladder filled with amniotic fluid in which the embryo is located. It protects the baby from mechanical damage and drying out. Thus, he was given the role of protecting the embryo and creating the most natural and favorable aquatic environment.
What the embryo looks like in 4 weeks can be seen in the photo posted in the article.
A certain layer is responsible for the development of individual groups of organs and systems. The embryo has the shape of three discs, which are composed of many cells.
Signs of early pregnancy
In the early stages of pregnancy, not every girl suspects her new position. The active development of the zygote affects the female body individually. Typically, common signs of pregnancy at week 4 are:
- drowsiness;
- mild discomfort in the lower abdomen;
- mild weakness;
- frequent urination;
- malaise.
The above symptoms are similar to premenstrual syndrome, when the lower abdomen can pull or the mood worsens. In addition, breast sensitivity increases markedly, since it is typical for the mammary glands to swell almost immediately after conception. And this symptom is the most reliable, which confirms the fact of pregnancy. Sometimes in women, the temperature may rise slightly, the norm is considered no higher than 37 degrees.
At the end of the 4th week of pregnancy, a woman may begin to appear the first signs of early toxicosis. It manifests itself in different ways: severe nausea and aversion to food, or, conversely, changes in preferences. But the fact that toxicosis may be absent throughout pregnancy is not excluded.
Allocations at 4 weeks of gestation may be slightly brown, but in small quantities. It is worth noting that insignificant, odorless discharge, lasting no more than two days, is a common occurrence in early pregnancy. A specialist should be consulted if a woman has abundant discharge, which is accompanied by pain and other symptoms.
The human embryo in the 4th week develops and mutates at a tremendous speed. But in addition to the internal changes of the pregnant woman, there are also external ones. For example, at this time, the expectant mother can gain weight, this is due to hormonal restructuring. But in combination with toxicosis, the figure on the balance may decrease. In the event that the general well-being of a woman is good, there is no reason for concern.
Is it worth doing an ultrasound at this time?
Having learned about their situation, each girl wants to look at her baby, but many of them are afraid to carry out this procedure at such an early date. According to experts, such fears are just prejudices. Experts advise screening in the first trimester, starting from the 4th or 4.5 weeks of pregnancy. A study at this time is carried out to identify the viability of the embryo, as well as to exclude various pathologies. What does an embryo look like in 4 weeks? An ultrasound examination during this period of pregnancy shows a yolk sac, a fetal egg, with a diameter of not more than five millimeters, which is covered with a luminous layer - the chorion.
Typically, an embryo for a period of 4 weeks is not visualized, but an experienced specialist will be able to determine its presence or absence, as well as to see the contours of the back, abdomen, head and still unformed limbs in the form of gill arches and tail.
Recommendations to the expectant mother
Strange preferences and changes in habits in a pregnant woman have long been cultivated in jokes. And indeed, during the gestation of the baby, it is likely that the tastes of the future mother can change. As a rule, such a condition begins to manifest itself from the fourth week, as the female body undergoes hormonal changes. In order for the baby to fully develop, and the expectant mother to feel good, it is important to adhere to several rules.
Food
For a healthy and full development, it is worth consuming products that contain as many vitamins, amino acids and other beneficial substances as possible. A balanced diet is important, you need to limit the use of fried, salty, sweet and flour. The following products are subject to exclusion: carbonated drinks, artificial sweets. It is recommended not to take seriously such tips as "eat for two." Overeating can negatively affect not only the health of a woman, but also the embryo. According to experts, the following products should be included in the diet of a nursing woman:
- Chicken eggs - are high in protein and iron, but they should be boiled and not more than three times a week. It is worth noting that pregnant women need to abandon eggs in their raw form.
- Carrots, broccoli, avocados - rich in organic acids, fiber, vitamins and trace elements. Carrots contain a large amount of carotene, which is an excellent tool for skin elasticity and is suitable as a prevention of stretch marks on the body of expectant mothers. You can eat vegetables in any form: boiled, raw, baked, in a salad seasoned with vegetable oil or sour cream.
- Cottage cheese, yoghurts - improve digestion and saturate the intestinal microflora with beneficial bacteria.
- Nuts. The composition of such nutrients as magnesium, selenium, vitamin E, which are necessary for the full development of the fetus.
- Fruits and berries - they contain vitamins and minerals vital for the embryo. Small portions of raspberries, strawberries and blackberries are ways to enhance the body's defenses. The most important thing is to thoroughly wash the products before eating.
- Meat for the unborn child is a source of protein, which is an important building material of the body’s cells, and the liver helps the woman to increase the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
- Fish - rich in phosphorus and vitamin D, which helps to strengthen the bones and nervous system of a pregnant woman.
Visit doctor
This pregnancy period is small enough to register with a gynecologist. However, it is during this period that the risk of abortion is high. If a woman noticed spotting, a sharp deterioration in well-being, pulling pains in the lower abdomen - you should immediately consult a gynecologist.
Daily regime
At the 4th week of pregnancy, a woman may feel overwhelmed, lethargic and drowsy. At this time, it is important to rest as much as possible, to eliminate the load. If possible, it’s worthwhile to arrange a quiet time on a daily basis.
Physical exercise
Probably, everyone has heard about the benefits of an active lifestyle while carrying a baby. Therefore, experts strongly recommend performing simple exercises, doing morning exercises and spending as much time as possible in the fresh air. Calm and measured actions positively affect the course of pregnancy. Dress should be in the weather. Clothing and shoes should not be bound. It is better to give preference to natural materials in order to eliminate allergies and irritations. You need to rest periodically. Remember, excessive loads are undesirable. Only calm and good mood.
Intimacy
Doctors do not prohibit intimacy in the fourth week of pregnancy if there is no threat of miscarriage, which should be warned by a gynecologist. If a woman in the process of intimacy does not experience discomfort and pain, this will only benefit her.
Medicines
Throughout pregnancy, and especially in the first weeks, doctors advise not to self-medicate, so as not to harm the fetus and his mother. Throughout the entire period of carrying a baby, most drugs are prohibited for use, because they can adversely affect the development of the child. Therefore, even with the slightest hint of a cold, it is better to immediately contact your doctor for qualified help.