Your Pregnancy: Week 5 for Mom
By: ePregnancy
Is it Pregnancy or PMS?
You are five weeks into your pregnancy right now, and if you are one of those moms who wasn't anxiously awaiting week 4 test time, you may be just now realizing that you've missed a period. This may not be your only pregnancy symptom, though you may not recognize what you are experiencing, because many of the early pregnancy symptoms actually feel a lot like PMS: sore boobs, moodiness and fatigue. So if you haven't already confirmed your pregnancy, take a test to make sure.
From Java to Juice
Many of us rely on extra helpings of java and soda to catapult our way through fatigue-filled days but if you are starting to experience that pregnancy fatigue, resist indulging in caffeine. As you slake your thirst for alertness, you are also passing that caffeine on to your baby. With a body a mere .05 inches in length, the wee one has no capacity to process the caffeine, and the stimulant can affect her heart rate.
In addition to keeping your baby healthy, you will also feel better by eliminating sources of caffeine from your diet -- this includes hidden sources, like chocolate and even orange soda! The stimulants raise your heart rate and blood pressure, both of which are already elevated due to your pregnancy. They can also cause anxiety, headaches and insomnia -- believe us, you don't need anything to prevent you from getting sleep right now! And if pregnancy doesn't make you pee enough, caffeine is a diuretic, so you'll be making even more frequent trips to the bathroom, as well as being at risk for dehydration.
Need more reasons to dispense with those energy elixirs? Caffeine has no nutritional value. What's worse is that it saps your bones of calcium, and the phenols in caffeinated drinks make it harder for your body to absorb iron -- a mineral many pregnant women already lack.
Due Dialect: Ectopic Pregnancy
Ectopic pregnancy is one of those rare complications that gets its start early in pregnancy, if at all. Occasionally, the fertilized egg implants itself in one of your fallopian tubes instead of in your uterus. Very rarely an egg will choose to make its home around the ovary or cervix. Ectopic pregnancies occur in about 1 out of every 100 pregnancies -- though women who have experienced pelvic inflammatory disease or a previous ectopic pregnancy are at higher risk.
What are the symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy?
Vaginal bleeding, abdominal pain and nausea are all symptoms. Because these can be the same as normal pregnancy symptoms, the best way to diagnose an ectopic pregnancy is to measure levels of the hormone HCG in your blood. Normally, your HCG levels will double every two days; if you are experiencing an ectopic pregnancy, the levels will not increase at that rate. Ultrasound testing is another tool your doctor might use to ascertain a diagnosis.
What happens if I am diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy?
Your doctor will probably recommend surgery to protect your fallopian tubes and ultimately, your future fertility. If left untreated, your body will take measures to protect itself, resulting in a miscarriage. Try not to worry too much over potential complications -- even if you do experience an ectopic pregnancy, keep in mind that most women do go on to experience completely normal pregnancies.