What to expect at the seventh week of pregnancy

At this stage you are no longer worried about what the result of the pregnant test will be, because now you know that you are pregnant. But that doesn’t mean you wouldn`t be concerned about a lot of things, especially if this is your first pregnancy. Your concerns might range from how your baby is doing to what you can expect at the different weeks of pregnancy. Here are some of what to expect at the seventh week of pregnancy:

What to expect: your body

You might experience all or few of this symptoms at one time

• Fear, joy, misgivings – any and sometimes all of these
• Mood swings and irritability
• Changes in Breast: heaviness, tenderness, fullness, slight pain, darkening of the areola (the pigmented area surrounding the nipples)
• Fatigue and sleepiness
• Urinating frequently
• Food cravings and rejection of certain foods
• Bloating  and indigestion
• Nausea with or without vomiting and ptyalism (excessive salivation)
• Occasional fainting and dizziness
• Heartburn and constipation
• Tightness of clothing around bust and waist

What to expect: your baby

By the end of the 7th week, the limb buds of your baby have grown rapidly and are now clearly distinguishable as arms and legs, and clefts are appearing at the ends which will later separate into fingers and toes.

Blood cells have formed within the circulation and blood vessels now extend into the head and throughout the body. The heart is still a very simple structure but has started to beat with sufficient force to circulate cells through the blood vessels. The chest of your baby is properly formed but the lungs remains as tiny, solid organs one on each side of the mid-line. The intestine is almost completely formed but has not yet assumed its proper position. The liver and kidneys have developed but are small and incapable of functioning.

The brain and the spinal cord are growing rapidly, are almost complete with the exception of nerves to the limbs and skin. The development of the head is proceeding at great speed and it is gradually assuming its final shape. However, at this stage, it is still bent forward on the chest and rather strange looking lumps are present over the back and base of the head.

The depressions which are to become the canals of the ears have deepened and the inner parts of the ears are forming. The eyes themselves are also forming, although the skin over them remains completely intact and closed. The nose is not completely formed yet, but apertures for the nostrils are appearing.

At this stage the baby’s length is approximately 1.4cm.

What to expect: antenatal checkup

If this is your first antenatal visits you can expect the doctor to check the following:

• Blood screens and test to determine immunity to disease like rubella and check anemia.
• Tests for the presence of infections like AIDS, Chlamydia, hepatitis, syphilis and gonorrhea.
• Urinalysis to check for presence of sugar, white blood cells, protein, bacteria and blood in the urine.
• Test to check for any tendency towards diabetes.
• Genetic tests for sickle-cell anemia.
• A pap smear check for presence of cervical cancer
• The doctor will also ask you questions about your medical history like previous pregnancies, miscarriages, and abortions, passed illnesses, allergies and many more, and also that of your family like genetic disorders and chronic diseases in the family. All this questions will help the doctor to give you the best available care possible

If this is your second antenatal checkup you can expect the doctor to check:

• Your hands and feet for edema (swellings) and your legs for varicose veins
• Your weight and blood pressure
• Your urine for presence of protein and sugar
• Ask you questions about any unusual symptoms you have been experiencing- if any, and you can ask any question you want to be clear on.

These processes may vary from place to place, depending on the doctor’s style of practice or your particular needs.