My Pregnancy Week 4
This may be the week that you are able to find out you are pregnant using a home pregnancy test! The most accurate results will be from pregnancy tests taken at the end of this week. If your home pregnancy test is negative you may want to take another test during week 5, sometimes they just aren’t sensitive enough to detect your pregnancy at week four.
How home pregnancy tests
Home pregnancy tests are looking for the pregnancy hormone hCG in your urine. If you see a positive result on your home test, even if it’s very faint, there is a good chance that you are pregnant and you should contact your healthcare provider. Be sure to check with them about any over-the-counter medications you are taking and ask about vitamin supplements you should be taking. Even though you just found out that you are pregnant, this is a critical time in your child’s development. In fact, the first trimester is the most critical time in your baby’s formation. It is important to avoid alcohol, cigarettes, second hand smoke, drugs and some medications.
How are you feeling?
Chances are by week four you may already begin to feel pregnant! Some women experience more fatigue than usual, tender or swollen breasts, and some even begin to feel nausea or mood swings.
The Embryonic Period
Week 4 signals the beginning of the embryonic period, which will continue until week 10. The blastocyst becomes embedded in the uterine wall. At this point the blastocyst has grown into a disk-like structure and is two layers thick. These two layers, called the epiblast and the hypoblast divide the blastocyst into two chambers, the amniotic cavity and the yolk sac. Additionally, during this period your child’s organs will begin to develop.
What else is happening?
A primitive version of the placenta is also developing inside you. Your placenta will even begin to start functioning at the end of this week! Right now it is actively creating space in the lining of your uterus to that it can provide both nutrients and oxygen to your developing baby. In the mean time, the yolk sac will be providing food for your baby.