6th week of pregnancy: how the fetus develops and what happens in the body

At the sixth week of pregnancy, her second calendar month begins. There is still more than six months until the baby is born, but time flies very quickly. The unborn child is actively growing and developing, and the woman’s condition requires constant attention.

Signs of pregnancy at 6 weeks

At this time everything symptoms pregnancies are already becoming obvious and gaining strength and intensity. Now the woman feels a constant lack of strength, she always wants to sleep and gets tired very quickly. Changes in hormonal levels lead to increased salivation and cause an acute reaction to any odors. If a woman has previously had toxicosis, then in the sixth week it intensifies. If toxicosis did not exist before, now it occurs in many women. At the same time, nausea torments not only in the morning, but also throughout the day, especially after eating.

Changes are also happening in other ways:

• The breasts continue to enlarge, the nipples become more sensitive, and the aureole around the nipples darkens.
• The uterus grows to the size of a plum, but this is not yet visible outwardly and the belly is not yet noticeable.
• The hormone progesterone is actively produced, which prevents the uterus from contracting. It acquires a loose structure, and an experienced gynecologist can easily determine pregnancy during examination.
• Hormonal changes lead to skin problems. Often it becomes loose and porous, an unhealthy complexion appears, and acne often breaks out.
• A woman’s mood often changes, she becomes irritable, whiny and capricious.
• The expanding uterus puts pressure on the bladder. Because of this, a woman constantly wants to go to the toilet. Sometimes there is pain in the lower abdomen.

6 weeks of pregnancy - what happens to the baby

Just recently, the future baby was simply a fertilized egg, but now it is already called an embryo and is actively developing further. In the sixth week, further formation of all organs that were formed earlier occurs. This week marks the first movement. But so far the woman cannot feel this. Now it is already possible to clearly see the future limbs of the child using ultrasound.

This week the neural tube closes and the spine and spinal cord begin to form. At this time, mother needs to take folic acid intensively.  The formation of the nervous system is entering an active stage. The formation of nerve processes and nodules occurs.   This week the heart begins to beat, the circulatory system is actively forming. The gastrointestinal tract is formed, a mouth, eyes and nose appear.

The first muscle cells begin to form, which will eventually turn into a full-fledged muscle system.   In the sixth week, the thymus gland is formed, which is responsible for the child’s immunity. At this time, it is important for a pregnant woman to be in a calm state. After all, everything that the expectant mother experiences is now felt by the child himself.

6 weeks of pregnancy: photo of the fetus

If you do an ultrasound examination at six weeks of pregnancy, you will notice that the baby has already grown significantly. Now it is the size of a pea, its length is about four millimeters, and the fertilized egg itself reaches 25 millimeters. During the ultrasound, the baby's heartbeat will be clearly audible. His heart rate is approximately 140 beats per minute, which is twice the rate of his mother's heart.

At this time, the embryo develops sensitivity and begins to respond to external changes and stimuli. The embryo begins to circulate blood. The intestine is actively forming, it already has three loops, the rudiments of the stomach appear and the esophagus is formed.

Pain at 6 weeks of pregnancy

In the sixth week, pain may be in the lower back or lower abdomen. In most cases, this condition is considered normal - the uterus increases in size, ligaments stretch, and the load on the spinal column increases. You need to prepare for the fact that painful sensations will accompany you throughout your pregnancy. In recent weeks, pain in the lower back will also be accompanied by pain in the abdominal area.

The most important thing is to recognize pain in time, which is inherent in some pathology, and is not a consequence of the normal course of pregnancy. If you feel like your stomach is gathering in a lump, and at the same time you feel pain, then you need to urgently call a doctor. This may be a symptom of an incipient miscarriage. Pulling pain occurs in the case of sprained ligaments.

Please note discharge from the vagina. Light discharge can be considered normal for a period of six weeks. If the discharge smells bad, has a yellowish or greenish tint, or a cheesy consistency, then an infection can be suspected. It could be a simple thrush or colpitis. If blood appears in the discharge, you should also consult a doctor. This could be the beginning miscarriage, especially if the woman feels pain.

Pain may also occur in the chest. Often women at this stage of pregnancy feel tingling and burning in the mammary glands. Pain is felt every time you touch your chest. Such phenomena can be associated with hormonal changes in the body of a pregnant woman.