What to expect at seven weeks pregnant – from your growing baby and belly to the changes in your body, here’s everything you need to know at this early stage of pregnancy.

At seven weeks pregnant, your baby is developing quickly and you might start to notice some changes to your body, too. By now you may be thinking about sharing the news with close friends and family or planning a big reveal after your 12-week scan. It’s also time to start booking in your family doctor and midwife appointments.

Your Baby at Seven Weeks Pregnant

By the time you’re seven weeks pregnant, the embryo should be around 10mm long, about the size of a small grape. At this stage, the brain is developing at a rapid rate and the baby’s nervous system – the nerve cells multiplying to form the brain and spinal – is continuing to take shape. This means the baby’s head is growing considerably faster than the rest of the body.

The embryo’s eyes and inner-ears are starting to develop and the limb buds which formed around week six are now starting to form cartilage. This will later further develop into bones in the limbs.

Your Body at Seven Weeks Pregnant

It’s unlikely that you’ll have a baby bump at seven weeks, but your body is changing even at this early stage. Your stomach muscles are continuing to relax and your uterus is expanding. By week seven it’s said to be about the size of a lemon and will continue to grow to cater to your growing baby.

There’s also a lot more blood pumping around your body. The volume of blood will increase by up to 50% in order to supply the oxygen and nutrients your embryo needs to develop in the womb.

Pregnancy Symptoms at Seven Weeks

As your body goes through these vital changes, and your baby is continuing to develop at a rapid rate, you may experience a few more pregnancy symptoms. These include:

Increased Urination

As your uterus continues to expand, it can press on your bladder and result in what feels like endless trips to the toilet.

Nausea and Morning Sickness

Unfortunately, the nausea and vomiting you’ve been experiencing over the last couple of weeks might be sticking around for a little while longer.

Sore Breasts

Breast tenderness is another common symptom at this stage as the pregnancy hormone levels in your body continue to change.

Heightened Sense of Smell

You may notice that you become much more sensitive to certain smells during the first trimester of your pregnancy.

Strange Food Cravings

From around 5 weeks some early pregnancy cravings might start to kick in and you could find yourself hankering for a gherkin and lemon slices.

Thicker and Shinier Hair

One benefit of your increasing hCG levels and hormone changes is great hair! 

Can you Have an Ultrasound at Seven Weeks Pregnant?

Unless you’ve been advised by your doctor, or you’ve conceived via IVF, it’s unlikely you will have an ultrasound at seven weeks pregnant. However, by this time you should have booked in your first dating scan. Often known as the 12-week scan, this can take place at around 10 to 14 weeks. It’s also the time you’ll be offered a number of screening tests. These can determine whether or not your baby is at risk from various infectious diseases or genetic conditions, including Downs Syndrome.

Head back and find out what’s going on at 8 weeks pregnant.