5 weeks pregnant ultrasound

An ultrasound is not typically performed at 5 weeks unless you have a history of something that would increase your chances of miscarriage or other complications. 

If your provider recommends an ultrasound at 5 weeks, there are a couple potential reasons for this. One would be to estimate the age of your gestational sac. Other reasons might include if you have a history of recurrent miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, or if you have conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF).   

If you do have an ultrasound this early, you can expect it to be a transvaginal ultrasound. Your embryo is far too small to see with an abdominal ultrasound. 

What exactly is a transvaginal ultrasound? 

Your provider will insert a lubricated wand into your vagina to visualize your gestational sac. While it might be a bit uncomfortable, most tolerate it very well and have no issues. And luckily, you only have to do one or two this way before an abdominal ultrasound can be used. 

What if your provider doesn’t see anything when performing your transvaginal ultrasound? The more common reason for this is that it’s just too early to visualize the yolk sac, even with a vaginal ultrasound. Remember, baby is only 0.13 inches right now. In addition, there’s a chance that your dating could be off, making baby even smaller.  

Other reasons why your provider might not see anything during the ultrasound could be due to an ectopic pregnancy or miscarriage. Definitely not a fun thing to think about, I know, but just making sure you are aware of all the potential reasons. 

An ectopic pregnancy occurs when a fertilized egg implants and grows outside of your uterus, most commonly in your fallopian tube. This is rare but can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

In addition to an ultrasound, your provider will likely order a blood test at this visit to check your hCG levels. While not always the case, decreasing hCG levels along with an inability to visualize a yolk sac during an ultrasound can indicate a non-viable pregnancy.

Brown discharge at 5 weeks pregnant

You’ve gone a big chunk of your life experiencing red vaginal bleeding every month. Now that you are pregnant, vaginal bleeding can absolutely be alarming but doesn’t always mean something bad is happening! Let’s talk about this.

Before I go into more detail, please note that any kind of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy warrants a call to your OB provider. My theory on this topic is that you should always err on the side of caution when it comes to bleeding in pregnancy – you can never be too sure. 

But typically, bright red bleeding indicates an active bleed whereas dark red or brown discharge is indicative of old blood. Period-like, bright red bleeding in pregnancy all too often goes hand in hand with certain complications. This kind of bleeding can mean a number of different things but determining the exact cause will require evaluation by your provider. 

As I mentioned, brown discharge during pregnancy typically indicates old blood and is not usually a cause for concern. It can be related to implantation bleeding, a result of normal pregnancy hormone surges, or can happen after sexual intercourse. Brown discharge on its own is not generally a concern, but if you have it accompanied by any other symptoms, it’s certainly worth a call to your provider. 

Some women do experience bleeding in the first trimester as baby implants to the uterine wall, this is more commonly known as implantation bleeding. Implantation bleeding is typically described as very light spotting and can actually occur before you even find out you are pregnant. 

I won’t go into all the other potential causes of vaginal bleeding during pregnancy, because you can read more about them in this article. But just remember, any amount and/or color of vaginal bleeding should be promptly reported to your OB provider. 

If it is after hours and there’s not a way to reach a provider from your practice, you can always go to the emergency room for evaluation. 

5 weeks pregnant cramping: What’s normal, what’s not

Similar to how vaginal bleeding can be alarming and scary in pregnancy, so can cramping. Just like vaginal bleeding, there are different reasons for abdominal cramping, some more concerning than others. 

Light cramping might coincide with your embryo implanting into the lining of your uterus, which is also when you may experience implantation bleeding. 

Typically, light cramping early on in pregnancy is not a cause for concern. You absolutely wouldn’t be in the wrong to call your OB provider if you experience this though. I know a lot of mamas (especially if it’s your first pregnancy or you have experienced miscarriage(s) in the past) prefer the reassurance from their provider, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! 

While intermittent, mild cramping is typically harmless. Moderate or intense cramping, accompanied by bleeding might be a cause for concern and deserves prompt evaluation. Abdominal cramping and heavy bright red bleeding might indicate you are experiencing a miscarriage.