Overview of Week 4 of pregnancy
During week 4 of pregnancy:
- Your baby is 2mm long
- You are in trimester one
- 36 more weeks to go
- You may get a positive pregnancy test
You may have gotten pregnant last week, but until this week, you probably didn’t even know it yet. This week, or even next week, is when your period is probably due to make its appearance. The lack of a period is often the first sign of pregnancy. If you take a pregnancy test this week, it may show up as positive and you can start getting excited for the upcoming months. However, since it is still early in the pregnancy, you may end up with a false negative test. If this is the case, you may need to re-test in a few days.
In addition to a positive pregnancy test, it may be exciting to find out that your growing baby is now considered an embryo. No longer just a little bundle of cells, your embryo is starting to form tissue that will become its organs and body parts.
How many months pregnant is 4 weeks?
At four weeks pregnant, you are still in your first month of pregnancy and in trimester one. Four weeks is equal to 28 days; so in just a few days, during week 5, you will finally be one month pregnant.
How big is baby at 4 weeks pregnant?
At 4 weeks pregnant, your baby is still quite small – approximately 2mm long. That is about the size of a poppyseed!
Your baby continues to divide and multiply in cells and this week, your baby is considered an embryo.
Baby development during week 4 of pregnancy
Last week your growing baby was known as a blastocyst; this week baby becomes an embryo.
During the beginning of week 4, your little blastocyst has made its way down the fallopian tubes and into the uterus. Once in the uterus, it implants into the uterine lining. It is now ready to divide further and will separate into two layers – the hypoblast and the epiblast.
The hypoblast is developing into the yolk sac. The yolk sac produces red blood cells and helps to nourish your growing embryo until the placenta fully develops and takes over.
Meanwhile, the epiblast is the layer of cells that are forming into your embryo. These cells will make up your baby’s organs and other body parts.
The amniotic sac has also formed and is filling with amniotic fluid. This fluid will enclose and protect your growing baby until they are ready to be born.
Pregnancy Week 4 Symptoms
Missed period
The most telling symptom during week 4 of pregnancy is a missed period. This is how a lot of women discover they are pregnant.
Periods are a way to rid your uterus of its uterine lining and the unfertilized egg. However, your egg has been fertilized this month, so it is happy to implant itself into that uterine lining and make a home for the next nine months.
Pregnancy week 4 tips
Start a prenatal vitamin
Starting a prenatal vitamin is recommended as soon as you decide to start trying to conceive and now that you are pregnant, it is even more important now. Making sure you have sufficient vitamin intake is important in the beginning stages of baby development. Most importantly is folate intake. Adequate folate levels can decrease your growing baby’s chances of developmental defects.
Prepare mentally
You are officially pregnant. This is the time to make sure that you are mentally ready for this life-changing decision. Make sure you are in the right mindset and are realistic about the changes that will incur. Take some time and work on your mental health. This can be both an exciting and terrifying time in any woman’s life.
Make healthy life choices
Now that you are pregnant, make sure you are making the right life choices that will lead to a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. If you smoke, this is time to quit. That goes for alcohol as well. Start adding a few more fruits and vegetables to your diet and maybe start taking short walks around the block for more exercise.
Remember that these changes are for the benefit of your future child. Keeping this in mind may make the choices to change your lifestyle a little easier and give you some extra motivation.
Take a pregnancy test
If you are eager to find out if you are pregnant, you can take a pregnancy test this week, even if your period isn’t due for a few more days. Most early pregnancy tests can detect a pregnancy up to 6 days before your missed period.
Did your test come up negative? Don’t panic yet. You may have taken your test a little bit too soon. Wait another few days and test again.
