In the 4th week of pregnancy, after fertilization, the zygote travels to the uterus, beginning to divide into a “cluster of cells”. This will become the embryo and the membranes that will protect it in the coming weeks of pregnancy. When reaching the uterus, the zygote attaches to the uterine wall for searching for protection and for nutrients. Here, the future embryo begins to grow and slowly but surely and begins to form the placenta and the protective amniotic fluid, which continues to grow in the next week. This embryo is divided into cells forming three layers: an inner lining that will form the respiratory and digestive system, a middle layer that will develop into the skeletal and circulatory system and an outer layer that will form the nervous system and the skin. The conception product has approximately only one millimeter and is not attached to the uterine lining, but floats in the womb. The conception product does not have yet the form of an embryo but an indistinct shape, being barely visible. But what is incredible is that the physical characteristics such as eye color, hair, sex, height and conformation are already determined. Starting with the week 4 of pregnancy, the embryo’s development becomes increasingly faster. The famous pregnancy hormone HCG begins to be released – upon which the pregnancy tests are performed.
…and the future mother
You probably did not find out the happy news as there aren’t any visible changes in the 4th week of pregnancy. However, due to hormones (estrogen), you may feel more energetic than usual. Very rarely can you face, on the contrary, a feeling of tiredness and lack of sleep (some expectant mothers are, even starting with this stage, very irritable). Your body does not change noticeably – no trace of weight gain yet. Instead, you are more likely to confront nausea, vomiting (not necessarily in the morning) and stomach pain and acidity. You may notice an increase in vaginal secretions and the need to urinate becomes increasingly annoying. But, very often, in the 4th week of pregnancy, there are no specific symptoms of pregnancy – but in the next weeks pre-menstrual syndrome-like symptoms might follow. You’re still not sure whether you’re pregnant or not? Well, ou cannot be sure, because you do not have clear signs yet – but if you perform a pregnancy test and the result is positive, it’s time to go to the doctor, who will confirm or not the great news – the most realistic result is shown through a test that checks for the pregnancy hormone HCG.
What to do in the 4th of pregnancy:
- Lifestyle. As mentioned in all the articles that you can find on internet, in all the magazines or in specialty books, the future mother needs to be very careful about lifestyle and also avoid fatigue, respect a regular sleep schedule and a balanced diet; it is very important to stop vices such as alcohol or smoking;
- The obstetrician. Choose an obstetrician carefully – he will be your guide and you have to trust him. He must be willing to give you advice whenever you need them (even outside the office hours, by phone). Choose based on references a doctor to meet your needs. At the first meeting with him, go prepared withall the questions that matter to you: especially about what to eat, what vitamins to take, what medicines to take, what type of physical activities to do. Also make sure you give him a complete history of your illnesses (even from childhood) and hereditary diseases in the family.
- The vitamins. Do not forget vitamins: folic acid is essential and perhaps the most important (there are many studies about how effective it is in protecting the fetus’s neural tube). Also it is recommended to use supplements of vitamins, minerals, iron, in addition to a correct diet. Choose the supplements that you need together with your doctor.
- Light Physical Exercises. Establish a regular schedule (at least once a week) of physical activity (walking, swimming, aquatic gymnastics, special gymnastics for pregnant women) and follow this schedule – in order to have a strong body, to stay healthy and avoid excessive accumulation of pounds. It’s the perfect time to also start the famous Kegel exercises – you can read about their many benefits in other articles on the internet.
- Relax: You can already feel a little tired or nervous, irritable so make sure you rest enough and try relaxing activities – and why not, adopt a new hobby, something that could induce you a positive and optimistic mood; taking care of the body is extremely important during pregnancy, but do not make the mistake of ignoring your mental and spiritual state.
If you find out the wonderful news that you will soon become a mother, you can enjoy and entertain yourself trying to calculate the possible date of birth, based, as mentioned, from the first day of the last menstruation. Rarely, however, does nature take into account the your calculations, so get ready for a journey full of novelty, excitement, joy and small difficulties and fears. It is a path on which you will not be by yourself, but the ones who love you will always be by your side throughout the pregnancy and beyond..