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Pregnancy 5 Weeks
Fetal Development
By now, you probably have begun to suspect you are pregnant. Your period is late and now is a good time to take a Home
Pregnancy Test. These tests measure the amount of HCG present in your urine. A blood or urine test could detect pregnancy
as early as a few days after a missed period. The blastocyst is now called an "embryo".
The developing embryo now consists of three different layers, all specialized according to functions. The outer layer (ectoderm)
will become the neural tube, from which the nervous system, brain, backbone and spinal cord will sprout. The inner layer
(endoderm) will develop into the breathing and digestive organs and the middle layer (mesoderm) will become the baby's
skeleton, muscles, kidneys, sex organs and heart.
The heart, brain, spinal cord, central nervous system, muscles and bones are already in the early stages of development.
The placenta, which will nourish your baby, and the amniotic sac, which keeps your baby safe from outside bounces and shocks,
are forming, too.
Pregnancy can be detected with ulstrasound in week 5 or 6 at earliest. A tiny sac can be seen, but the heart beat can't be detected yet.
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