What happens in the sixth week of pregnancy?

Women during pregnancy are looking for a detailed guide to the stages of pregnancy and the changes that occur to both the mother and the fetus, and the site provides this guide to find out what is happening week by week, and in this article , we explain what happens during the sixth week of pregnancy.

You can access the pregnancy and childbirth calculator to accurately determine the stage of pregnancy and know the due date.

What happens to the fetus in the sixth week of pregnancy?

The embryo reaches the beginning of the sixth week as a flat disc, up to 2 millimeters in length, which continues to mutate during the sixth week to form a human body and create vital organs. The sixth week of pregnancy can be summed up in two processes:

Body massage:

As we mentioned in the fifth week of pregnancy, the fetus does not assume a well-defined shape, but rather appears as a flat disc made up of three layers, so the fetus is known at during the fifth week as a three-layered embryo.

In the sixth week of pregnancy, the fetus begins to take a clear shape, as the embryonic disc folds back to form a complete body no more than 5 millimeters in length covered with a layer of thin transparent skin, and at the At the end of the fetal body, a small tail appears, which later turns to form the spine.

A clear protrusion forms in the region of the chest where the heart is formed, and another projection appears in the head where the brain is formed, and small buds appear on the sides of the fetus from which the hands and feet are formed, and small protrusions appear in the head which later form to form the eyes, nose, ears and ear canals.

Synthesis of organs:

In the sixth week, cardiac and brain synthesis continues, and the fetal heartbeat can be heard during this stage using a special type of ultrasound device equipped with a microphone, and the synthesis from the rest of the organs such as the digestive system, liver, urinary and reproductive system, blood vessels and parts of the respiratory system also begins.

Explanatory video of an ultrasound of the fetal heart rate in the sixth week of pregnancy:

What happens to the mother in the sixth week of pregnancy?

The sixth week of pregnancy may be the start of discovering pregnancy, and a set of signs appear at this point:

• Nausea: Morning sickness of pregnancy usually begins during this phase, and the nausea can last longer than the morning period and may not be related to a specific time of day, and although this is one of the more common symptoms , they do not occur in some women during pregnancy.
• Breast signs: The breasts become more sore under the pressure and the nipples become a little darker with a slight tingling sensation.
• Tired: Usually, a constant feeling of fatigue, laziness and unwarranted sadness appears as a result of hormonal changes during the months of pregnancy.
• Frequent urination: This is due to the increase in blood volume and therefore the increased blood flow to the kidneys. Hormonal changes can also contribute to kidney function during the first few months of pregnancy, resulting in rapid filling of the bladder and a recurrence of the need to urinate.

What should be done during the sixth week of pregnancy?

• Visit to the doctor: Immediately after the suspicion of pregnancy, a doctor should be visited to confirm the pregnancy, carry out the necessary examinations and determine the periodic visits and the date of delivery.
• Follow a healthy diet: You must adhere to a healthy and balanced diet that ensures the supply of nutrients to both mother and fetus, and it is also recommended to avoid certain foods and drinks during pregnancy, you can check our article: Nutrition during pregnancy and foods and drinks to avoid.
• Take folic acid supplements: This is extremely important during the sixth week of pregnancy to help the development of the fetal central nervous system (including the brain and spinal cord) and to prevent dangerous birth defects at this stage. It is recommended to take a folic acid supplement of 400 milligrams from the planning phase of pregnancy until the end of the twelfth week.
• stop smoking: The UK Department of Health advises completely abstaining from smoking and alcoholic beverages during pregnancy.

Let’s move on to the fifth week of pregnancy.