Fourth week of pregnancy
At the end of this week, menstruation will not arrive and this will be the first real symptom of the pregnancy that has begun. Your baby is already a small mass of cells, which begin to differentiate to give rise to organs and systems.
Weight and length at 4th week
| Month | 1st month |
|---|---|
| Gestational age | from 3+0 to 3+6 |
| Moms group | November 2023 |
How many months is 4 weeks pregnant?
At the fourth week you are about to finish the first month of gestation. To know the exact correspondence between months and weeks of pregnancy, you can use our conversion table.
How your body changes
Early pregnancy symptoms
At this stage, you are waiting for your period to arrive and sincerely hope that it will not come. Your senses are on high alert for every slight change in your body, and it seems to you that any slight variation from usual could be a symptom that you are pregnant .
This week, in fact, you may already begin to feel tired , your breasts may appear more taut and turgid , and you may feel the need to urinate often . You may also feel mildly nauseous , although this symptom usually tends to appear a little later.
Other complaints could be increased salivation, aversion to certain foods , a feeling of abdominal swelling or an increase in vaginal discharge .
Yes or no pregnancy test?
You probably would like to take a pregnancy test right away , but it would be too soon: to get reliable results it is advisable to wait at least the first day of your missed period . If you want, you could do a blood beta HCG measurement , which is reliable starting about 7 days after conception. To do this, you need a normal blood sample , which can be done with a doctor’s prescription.
Have you done a home urine test and it came back negative ? Don’t despair: if your period doesn’t come, try again after a few days and always with early morning urine .
What if the test is positive? Congratulations, you are pregnant!
How does the child grow up?
It measures less than 1 millimeter and is the size of a poppy seed . Even though it is growing rapidly, it is still not visible on ultrasound .
From egg to embryo
Between the 3rd and 4th week of pregnancy, the fertilized egg implants itself in the uterus to continue its development . At the time of implantation, it is already a tiny cluster of cells formed by an outer layer, from which the placenta will develop, and an inner cell mass , from which the embryo will originate .
Toward organ development
While the external layer digs a sort of “nest” in the internal wall of the uterus, the internal mass is differentiated into two layers, from which the so-called embryonic layers will originate :
- the ectoderm , from which the brain , vertebral column , skin and its derivatives (hair, nails and tooth enamel) will develop ;
- the mesoderm , from which the skeleton , muscles , heart and blood vessels will form ;
- the endoderm , from which the lungs , intestines and liver will originate .
Do you know that…
In this week the yolk sac develops , which in early pregnancy has the task of providing nourishment to the embryo and producing blood cells . Furthermore, it is already possible to distinguish the amniotic sac , a sort of bubble filled with liquid which will protect your little one until birth.
For the dad
Stay close to your partner when she takes the test, both to console her if it’s negative and to cheer together if it’s positive: it will be an unforgettable moment!
Checks and exams to do
It’s time to schedule the first appointment with the gynecologist or midwife , to evaluate the evolution of the pregnancy and receive all the necessary information to protect your health and that of your future baby.
This first visit is offered free of charge by the National Health Service and is usually performed between the 7th and 10th week , so that the embryo is clearly visible on the ultrasound: so remember to book it in time !
Tips for the 4th week of pregnancy
- During pregnancy you don’t need to eat for two, but twice better! So try to follow a healthy and varied diet (fruit, vegetables, dairy products, fish, meat) and keep yourself hydrated: the advice is to drink at least 10 glasses of water a day .
- In case of nausea , you can try consuming dry snacks (crackers, breadsticks or rusks) or drinking ginger -based herbal teas (in moderation). In general, try to split up your meals and reduce portions , so as not to burden your stomach too much and at the same time avoid spending long hours fasting.
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.