5 Weeks Pregnant
At 5 weeks pregnant your baby is about the size of a sesame seed. You are in the first trimester, and this week brings its own small changes — for your baby and for you.
- Size of
- a sesame seed
- Length
- 3 mm
- Weight
- —
- Trimester
- 1
Your baby this week
- The neural tube closes and becomes the brain and spinal cord.
- The tiny heart tube starts to beat, at first as a simple flutter.
- The first blood vessels form and circulation begins.
Your body this week
- Hormone levels rise steadily to support the early pregnancy.
- Your blood volume keeps rising to supply the placenta.
Common symptoms
- Deep tiredness, even after a full night of sleep
- Nausea that can arrive at any time of day
- Needing the toilet more often
What to expect
Early pregnancy can feel invisible from the outside and very loud on the inside. Symptoms come and go from day to day, and that is normal. With 35 weeks to go, the priority this week is rest, gentle food and your first antenatal appointment.
Tips for this week
- Eat small, frequent meals; an empty stomach makes nausea worse.
- Rest without guilt. First-trimester tiredness is real and temporary.
- Take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid and vitamin D.
Frequently asked questions
How many months is 5 weeks pregnant?
5 weeks is about 1 months. Pregnancy months do not divide evenly into weeks, so counting in weeks is more precise.
How big is my baby at 5 weeks?
At 5 weeks your baby is around a sesame seed — roughly 3 mm long and about —. Healthy babies vary a lot around these averages.
What symptoms are normal at 5 weeks pregnant?
The most common ones this week are listed above. Contact your doctor or midwife about heavy bleeding, severe pain, a fever, or any change in your baby’s movements.
Pregnancy weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, so week 1 begins before conception.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Always talk to your doctor or midwife about your own pregnancy.