Svd 16 mm what is the period. Fertilized egg, yolk sac: size norm by week

What is SVD during pregnancy and how to determine it on ultrasound? There is only one answer to this question.

SVD is the average internal diameter of the ovum according to ultrasound diagnostics. This indicator is measured exclusively in millimeters.

Fertilized egg illustration

The gestation period is characterized by certain values ​​of the internal diameter. The digital value of the SVD constantly varies, so the period is calculated with an error of a week to a week and a half. A more reliable sign for clarifying the gestational age using ultrasound is the CTR (coccygeal-parietal size) indicators. It should be noted that the coccygeal-parietal size of the embryo is less subject to individual fluctuations compared to the average internal diameter of the ovum, and therefore is used more often to establish a reliable gestation period. The error is approximately three days.

When the fetus is well visualized, the period is determined by the length of the fetus, and not by the internal diameter. The coccygeal-parietal size is recorded during a routine ultrasound and reflects the actual size of the fetus in combination with the approximate weight of the fetus. As a rule, measurement of CTE indicators is used up to 12 weeks of gestation, and in later ultrasound studies, the biparietal diameter of the circumference of the head and abdomen of the fetus is used.

Approximate indicators of SVD, depending on the timing of gestation

• When the diameter of the ovum is approximately 4 millimeters, the gestation period is no more than 5 weeks. It is possible to assume that about four weeks have passed since conception.
• Closer to the fifth week, the diameter will reach 6 millimeters.
• After a few days, the fetus becomes 7 millimeters.
• By the end of the 6th week, the diameter increases to 12 - 18 millimeters.
• The average value of SVD at a period of six weeks and five days is 16 millimeters.

Fertilized egg on ultrasound

Of course, the expectant mother is concerned about the following question: how intensively does the fetus grow in the second and third trimester? We can say with confidence that until 15 - 16 weeks, its diameter grows by one millimeter every day. Then its value increases by an average of 2 - 2.5 millimeters every day. During the border period of 16 - 17 weeks, they stop measuring the internal diameter of the fetal egg, focusing on more reliable indicators.

Ultrasound examination at short gestation

Diagnostics are carried out for the following purposes:

Diagnosis of the localization of the fertilized egg

1. Establishing the exact location of the fetus (in the uterine cavity or outside it). When the fetus is located outside the uterus, we are talking about ectopic pregnancy. When the fetus cannot be visualized or the recognition process becomes significantly more difficult, they resort to precise determination of the embryo’s heartbeat. Signs of fetal viability may be found in the fallopian tubes or abdominal cavity.

In addition to this complication, other complications may appear in the initial stages of pregnancy: for example, a changed shape of the fertilized egg; improper attachment; high risk of placental abruption and other pathological disorders.

2. Determining a single or multiple pregnancy is not difficult. In the uterine cavity there are two or more fetuses with active life activity.

3. Assessing the main dimensions of the fertilized egg and embryo and comparing them with normal values.

4. Study of the correct structure of the embryo and fertilized egg to exclude serious congenital developmental anomalies. These may be chromosomal mutations (for example, Down syndrome).

5. Vital signs are assessed based on the presence of a heartbeat, which is detected already in the fifth week of gestation. The motor activity of the embryo is quite well determined after the seventh week of gestation.

At the initial stage, the movements are so weak and isolated that they can hardly be distinguished during an ultrasound. As the embryo grows, motor activity begins to resemble characteristic flexion and extension movements, and then active movements of the upper and lower extremities. Since individual moments of motor activity are quite short in time and are calculated in seconds or their fractions, the definition of cardiac activity is used to register the fact of fetal life.

6. Detection of a corpus luteum in one of the ovaries. This small cystic formation provides the expectant mother’s body with important hormones to preserve the fetus in the early stages of development.

7. The study of amnion and chorion comes down to their ratio depending on the period of gestation already in the first trimester. Based on the obtained ultrasound results, it is possible to predict the further course and outcome of pregnancy.

Ultrasound is indispensable for determining possible problems with pregnancy

8. Diagnosis of a threatened miscarriage using ultrasound allows one to recognize early symptoms, which are characterized by a clear thickening of one of the walls of the uterine cavity, as well as a significant increase in the internal os. In case of a possible miscarriage, ultrasound assesses the vital signs of the fetus and the condition of the uterus and placenta as a whole.

9. Diagnosis of diseases and possible malformations of the female genital area (anomalies of the vagina or uterus). Any deviation from the norm determines the course and outcome of pregnancy.

Typical signs and features of fertilized egg implantation

Often, the fertilized egg attaches to the wall of the uterus several days after unprotected sexual intercourse, and then the egg is implanted into the endometrial layer after fertilization. From this moment on, the woman’s body begins to actively produce the hormone hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), to which the pregnancy test strip reacts.

Implantation of fertilized egg

The screening test will not always be positive, so it is necessary to resort to a reliable blood test to determine hCG. After receiving a positive test result, you must immediately contact a gynecologist at the antenatal clinic for registration and further observation for nine months.

A formed fertilized egg is the surest sign of pregnancy. It has a characteristic oval shape and is quite well visualized on ultrasound in the third week of absence of menstruation.

The embryo itself can only be seen when the period reaches the fifth week. If the ultrasound doctor does not detect an embryo in the fertilized egg, then the study is repeated after about half a month. As a rule, the embryo becomes more clearly visible, and its heartbeat is also detected. In other cases, we are talking about pathological development or even a frozen and undeveloped pregnancy.

That is why it is very important to undergo an ultrasound to exclude possible complications for further correction of the situation. The first trimester is the most important period of gestation, since throughout its entire duration all organs and systems of the unborn baby are actively formed.

Timing of routine ultrasound diagnostics

Based on the results of the WHO, strict periods have been defined for conducting mandatory ultrasound examinations during the gestation period of the unborn baby.

Three ultrasound screenings are required

At other time intervals, the examination is prescribed strictly according to individual indications from the mother and fetus:

• The first ultrasound examination is recommended to be carried out at 12 - 14 weeks;
• the second screening is prescribed at 20 - 24 weeks;
• The third ultrasound visit is necessary at 32 - 34 weeks of gestation.

It is not advisable to neglect the timing of the next examination, since it is during the specified period of gestation that it is possible to recognize fetal malformations. And if a forced need arises, an interruption for medical reasons. The last screening examination can also be carried out at a later time.

The results of the current diagnostics may be significantly outside the normal range, but this is far from a cause for concern. Do not forget that the development of each child has its own characteristics. However, you should not ignore the identified symptoms either.

The size of the fertilized egg is the very first size of your baby in the earliest stages of pregnancy. It is measured before it becomes possible to measure the height, weight, length of the baby’s limbs, and in the early stages it is the size of the fertilized egg that is very informative for establishing the gestational age from the date of conception, as well as for assessing the growth rate of the embryo.

How and why are measurements taken?

The fertilized egg completes its formation by the third week from the day of conception; it is by this time that it can already be seen on an ultrasound (this is about a week of missed periods). It consists of the embryo itself, membranes, chorion, amnion and yolk sac. The chorion is responsible for attaching the embryo to the wall of the uterus and nutrition, for the production of hormones necessary for the continuation of pregnancy. The amnion forms the aqueous environment (amniotic fluid), the yolk sac is a food supply, and inside the fertilized egg, your unborn child looks like a thin strip.

The detection of a fertilized egg in the uterine cavity against the background of a delay in menstruation is a reliable sign of pregnancy, but in the very early stages the doctor will not be able to clarify anything more.

The fact is that there can be two embryos in one egg (twins), and this will become noticeable much later. Sometimes the fertilized egg turns out to be empty, that is, there is no embryo in it, and in the early stages this is also not visible.

The size of the fertilized egg is determined to clarify the gestational age and to assess the correctness of early embryonic development.

Until the 8th week of pregnancy, doctors have almost no opportunity to understand how the baby itself actually grows and develops, because its size is very small. Measuring individual parts of the body is technically impossible, and this is where the size of the fertilized egg comes to the rescue. It grows in accordance with certain obstetric dates, and in different children at the beginning of pregnancy this indicator is very similar. It is later that children become large and miniature, with large heads or small hands, in a word, the way nature intended them.

And during the period of embryogenesis, while organs and tissues are actively forming, growth rates are approximately the same for everyone. That is why the size of the fertilized egg and the dynamics of its growth are important indicators for clarifying the period.

When talking about the size of the fertilized egg, they mean one size - it is called SVD (average internal diameter). It is a segment laid by a somnologist between the walls of the egg so that its ends are on opposite sides.

At the first ultrasound, which a woman may have at 5–6 weeks, the SVD will be the only value that the doctor will be able to accurately determine. A little later, another size will be determined - the coccyx-parietal or KTP (distance from the coccyx to the crown of the embryo).

Values ​​such as the volume of the gestational sac and its area do not play a large diagnostic role, but are often also measured simply because their determination is provided for by the program of a particular ultrasound scanner.

Therefore, we present a summary table of norms.

Table of standard values ​​of SVD, KTR and other indicators

Duration in weeks	SVD, mm	KTE, mm	Area, mm^2	Volume, mm^3

Enter the first day of your last menstrual period

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Do not panic or worry if the size of the ovum according to the results of your ultrasound differs slightly from the norm. Individual fluctuations downward are quite possible if ovulation was late, implantation took place later than 7–8 days after ovulation, and large sizes may indicate that ovulation occurred earlier or early implantation took place.

Reasons for deviations

A long-awaited pregnancy is a condition in which women are very suspicious; they can be upset and alarmed by anything. Especially - incomprehensible and complex terms that a doctor can use when determining the size of the ovum. For example, the concept of “deformed” can be confusing. There's nothing to worry about - in 90% of cases the egg is deformed due to increased tone of the uterine muscles.

If you remove the tone, the outline of the egg will become correct. In other words, deformation is not a pathology. Possible problems include the following:

Hypoplasia

The embryo grows faster than the shell. At the same time, it is observed discrepancy between SVD and CTR - the coccygeal-parietal size exceeds the norm in terms of time, and SVD is below the norm. This may be a consequence infections, hormonal disorders, embryonic malformations. Very often the cause remains unknown.

The prognosis is unfavorable; embryo death occurs in the vast majority of cases. A frozen pregnancy develops. The second option is spontaneous miscarriage until the death of the embryo. There is no positive outcome and further continuation of pregnancy with hypoplasia of the ovum.

Hydatidiform mole

There is no embryo. There are only overgrown chorion membranes, forming multiple blisters-cysts. They look like grapes and can be accurately diagnosed using ultrasound. The reason is a low-quality egg, which, when merging with a male reproductive cell, could not provide a complete set of DNA for this process. Dad's chromosomes simply double, and such an embryo, even if it is partially present, cannot grow and develop.

The hCG level is usually significantly higher than normal, a woman may think that she is carrying twins or triplets.

In every fifth woman, a hydatidiform mole develops into a malignant formation, prone to rapid and aggressive metastasis - chorionepithelioma. Therefore, it is important to remove the skid as early as possible - as soon as it is discovered.

Anembryony

The fertilized egg is present and growing, but there is no embryo. This can be detected only after 6–7 weeks, when it is time to record the heartbeat and CTE. There is none of them. The cause usually lies in a genetic error, acute infection, exposure to radiation and other factors, not all of which have been studied.

It is important to conduct the examination over time. If after a few days or a week the embryo is not detected, curettage of the uterine cavity or vacuum aspiration is indicated.

Egg too large

A significant increase in the size of the fertilized egg sometimes indicates pathologies of the fetus and pregnancy. Often, with a large egg, a decrease in CTE and a disturbance in the fetal heart rhythm are detected. In this case, the doctor may suspect that such signs are harbingers of fetal development stoppage.

If excess size is detected in the early stages (for example, at 6 weeks), a blood test for hCG is prescribed. It is possible that two monochorionic twins develop inside one egg. And if the blood results confirm this, then after a few weeks a repeat ultrasound is needed to measure each of their embryos.

You should not draw conclusions based on the tables and standards indicated as indicative. If now the egg size is lower or higher than normal, this does not mean that in a week or two the deviation will persist. Sometimes it is enough to calm down, stop worrying, take a weekend and lie down at home with a book, drinking warm tea and No-Shpu, so that the muscles of the uterus relax, the deformation is eliminated, and the size becomes normal.

If a serious anomaly is discovered (anembryonia, hydatidiform mole, etc.), you should not give up. It didn’t work out with the birth of the baby this time - it will work out next time, because these anomalies do not affect the subsequent ability to get pregnant, carry and give birth to a fully-fledged child.

The main thing is now, at this stage, to use all medical possibilities to find out the reasons, to visit a geneticist before planning the next conception.

The embryo and the membrane that surrounds it is the fertilized egg. As the embryo grows, the size of the fertilized egg increases over the weeks, which can be observed during examination using ultrasound. But it should be remembered that the accuracy of studies in the early stages of pregnancy is low, and when diagnosing a woman, the possibility of error cannot be ruled out.

Formation of the fertilized egg

The first stage of the cycle that a reproductive cell goes through is the release of the egg from the follicle. Usually 3-4 follicles mature, but only one egg passes through a woman’s fallopian tubes during ovulation.

The growth and development of a new life begins with the fusion of an egg and a sperm. Immediately after ovulation and fusion, a protective membrane forms around the egg. This outer protective layer around the embryo will later develop into the amniotic sac containing amniotic fluid.

In the early stages of pregnancy, during an ultrasound, you can see the formation of an ovoid shape of small diameter. This is the fertilized egg. The first stage of its development is the morula, consisting of 12-32 blastomeres formed as a result of division of the zygote, which turn into a compact ball.

As the cells multiply, the embryo continues to move through the fallopian tubes until it attaches to the mucous wall inside the uterus. After this, the outer layer of the membrane begins to produce hCG (chorionic gonadotropin hormone), which is one of the first indicators of a woman’s pregnancy. All this time, the fetus is fed from the internal resource of the egg. In the process of further development, the attachment site is transformed into the placenta. At this time, to prevent infection, a mucous plug is formed, which closes the entrance to the uterus. This whole process takes about two days. If the embryo does not attach to the wall of the uterus, then a miscarriage occurs along with menstruation at the end of the cycle, and often the woman does not even know that she was pregnant.

In the next cycle, the egg is released from the follicle again, ovulation occurs, and the whole process is repeated again.

• What does a fertilized egg look like, structure:
• Villous membrane, chorion;
• Amnion (amniotic sac or membrane of water);

Embryo.

It is difficult to see exactly what the fertilized egg looks like even with the help of an ultrasound. Due to its small diameter, the embryo is difficult to detect inside the uterus if a woman is pregnant for less than a month.

It happens that even at a period of 6-7 weeks the embryo is not visible inside the egg - this may indicate a non-developing pregnancy. An empty ovum is quite rare and is often a symptom of genetic disorders in the woman or her partner.

Examination of the ovum

The diagnostic method used to study the life cycles of the fetal egg is called echography or, in other words, ultrasound diagnostics. It allows you to identify SVD, the average internal diameter of the ovum, and CTR, the coccygeal-parietal size of the fetus.

There is no need to worry that ultrasound will harm the fetus. Even in the early stages, radiation does not affect the health of the unborn child.

It is worth considering separately the 4th obstetric week of pregnancy, since it is during this period that nascent life can be seen using ultrasound. In the first days of the fourth week of pregnancy, the fertilized egg has a diameter of only 1 mm, and it is not possible to assess the details of fetal formation. That is why an additional ultrasound is prescribed a few weeks after the first examination. However, after a couple of days, the size of the fertilized egg will increase to 3 mm, and it will be possible to see the yolk sac, with the help of which the embryo is nourished until the umbilical cord appears. Towards the end of the fourth week, the diameter of the fertilized egg increases to 4 mm, during this period vital organs begin to develop: the heart, lungs, liver and pancreas. On the last day of this period, the diameter of the ovum is 5 mm, and during an ultrasound it is already possible to detect an embryo whose size is only 1 mm. Literally in a day the egg grows up to 6 millimeters.

Formula for determining gestational age:

The average internal diameter of the fetal egg is + 35 (if its size is less than 16 mm) or 30 (if the fetus is more than 16 mm). For example, diameter 17+30=47 weeks.

Pathologies of the ovum

When studying the fertilized egg with echography, pathologies can be detected already in the early stages. The absence of an embryo inside the membrane, an “empty egg” or anembryony, may indicate a non-developing pregnancy that will end in miscarriage or purging.

A picture that shows a discrepancy between the sizes of the growing embryo and egg in the absence of a heartbeat may indicate fetal fading, which also leads to miscarriage.

For example, if the embryo is much smaller than the membrane or the size of the bubbles is too small for the given period, then with a high degree of probability a miscarriage will occur at the end of the cycle. The most common cause is chromosomal changes during conception, either congenital or caused by external influences. For example, a woman, not knowing about pregnancy, takes pills, drinks alcohol or is exposed to other harmful influences, which leads to serious pathology in the development of the fetus and miscarriage.

Deformation of the ovum is not always a pathology, and in most cases is caused by increased uterine tone in the first period of pregnancy. Often the tone is accompanied by slight bleeding and pain in the lower third of the abdomen.

This problem can be solved with medication; pills are prescribed to reduce the number and intensity of contractions of the uterine muscles and hormonal pills to keep the fetus inside.

In case of detachment of the ovum in the case of a small affected area, hormonal treatment is carried out. For a woman during this period, bed rest in a hospital setting is required.

An ectopic pregnancy is characterized by the fact that the fertilized egg develops in an unintended place: in the fallopian tubes or ovaries. The main manifestation is heavy bleeding. It is impossible to save such a pregnancy, since the growth and development of the embryo in the fallopian tube leads to its rupture and serious consequences for the woman’s health.

During screening at 12 weeks, the nasal septum is measured. If the bone is less than 2.5 mm in length or is absent, doctors can make a preliminary diagnosis: trisomy 21 or Down's disease. In this case, the woman herself will be able to decide whether to continue the pregnancy.

In rare cases, two embryos are found in the fertilized egg at once - this is not an anomaly, but a factor indicating the presence of twins. A similar situation occurs when two bubbles are found in a woman’s uterus at once. In the latter situation, the chorions of both membranes in the future form placentas, with the help of which each fetus is fed separately. In the first case, the embryos will be nourished from one placenta. Detection of twins in the early period is often not confirmed, and the study gives reliable results only at 6-7 weeks of pregnancy.

Sizes of fertilized egg by week

The fourth obstetric week was discussed above. However, the development of the fertilized egg continues up to 8 weeks, and according to some sources up to 10, and in further periods of development the embryo is called a fetus. Data on the stages of embryo development in each week can be seen in the table below. This table with a detailed description of each stage of development of the fertilized egg will help a woman understand how the baby develops inside her uterus during this period. Rates of growth:

• Up to 15-16 weeks 1 millimeter per day;
• From 16-17 weeks 2-2.5 millimeters per day.

Sizes of the fertilized egg by week, table:

The sixth week is especially important during this period of intrauterine development, since during this period the birth of the digestive system, spleen and cartilage buds occurs. When the size reaches 16 mm, we can say that the embryo has the rudiments of the stomach and esophagus, as well as 3 intestinal loops. By the end of the week, the embryo has formed fingers and muscle tissue.

Early ultrasound during the initial stages of pregnancy has many advantages. It does not harm the health of the expectant mother and child and provides a lot of information for the doctor.

The size of the fertilized egg during pregnancy is one of the most important indicators, especially during the beginning of pregnancy.

fertilized egg

Before moving on to the parameters of the baby and amniotic organs, it is worth understanding what a fertilized egg is?

The formation of this new living organism begins from the moment the egg is fertilized by the sperm. This occurs inside a woman's fallopian tube. Next, the fertilized cell passes into the uterine cavity and begins to divide into small cells.

Several cells that have approached the wall of the womb and begun implantation can already be called a fertilized egg. There is nothing in it yet similar to the human body, but very soon this will change.

A week after fertilization, the cells are implanted into the wall of the uterus, after which they begin to exist at the expense of the mother’s body. At this time, the embryo is still very small and cannot be seen on an ultrasound.

After implantation, thanks to substances from the uterine wall that enter through the blood vessels, the new organism begins to grow rapidly. It can be determined by instrumental methods in just a few weeks.

How is it determined?

You can see the size of the baby using a simple transabdominal ultrasound. The study is performed as follows:

• After a woman is registered for pregnancy, the doctor determines the date of the first screening - usually 11-14 weeks.
• The woman lies down on the couch, after which the procedure begins.
• An ultrasound sensor is placed on the expectant mother’s belly and all dimensions of the fetus are carefully assessed.
• This study can be performed earlier, but it will be less informative.

At what size of the fertilized egg is the embryo visible? Already at 3–4 weeks of gestation, modern sensors are able to assess the presence of a baby in the uterine cavity, at which time it reaches a size of about 3 mm.

An embryo of 5 mm is already clearly visible on ultrasound, but assessing its internal structure is still quite difficult.

Norm

Most often, women are interested in the size of the embryo even before the time of the first screening. This is necessary to know in order to determine the fact of pregnancy, its duration and detect developmental abnormalities.

During the procedure, the doctor evaluates the shape of all detected formations and the parameters of the internal contents of the fertilized egg.

Size of fertilized egg by week of pregnancy, table:

As can be seen from the table, the size of the fertilized egg increases quite quickly. It is assessed only in the first trimester of pregnancy. Next, the doctor will determine more accurate parameters that reflect the state of the child’s body.

Pathology

When performing an ultrasound examination in the early stages of pregnancy, a fairly large number of different abnormalities can be detected. Among them are the following groups of disorders:

1. Change in the shape of the primordium. At the beginning of pregnancy, the embryo is a spherical formation, so on ultrasound it is detected in the form of a circle. After 7 weeks of pregnancy, the fetus takes on an oval shape. Tumors of the uterus, congenital malformations, infectious diseases, pathology of the placenta can cause disruption of the shape of the egg.
2. Pathology of location. A properly developing embryo is located in the uterine cavity in the area of ​​the fundus or posterior wall of the organ. Less commonly, the embryo is located in the area of ​​the internal os. Other options for the location of the baby are considered pathological, some of them are generally incompatible with the further physiological course of pregnancy.


3. Anembryony. A rather rare developmental defect in which there is no embryo at all in the fertilized egg. Due to genetic disorders and the influence of environmental factors, the amniotic organs develop, but the baby itself does not. In this case, the egg will be of normal size, but there will be no child inside it.
4. Dimensional changes are the most common deviation. In the first stage of pregnancy, it is quite difficult to draw a conclusion about the normal size of the embryo, but often already at this time it is possible to guess what is causing the decrease or increase in the fetus.

Pathology of sizes

What could be causing a change in the size of the fertilized egg? Let's try to understand this issue.

If the baby's size is less than the normal gestational age, you should think about the following reasons:

• The gestational age was incorrectly determined. Early ultrasound can estimate gestational age using fetal size. If there are no unfavorable factors for the development of pregnancy, it is worth thinking that clinically the gestational age was established incorrectly.
• Infectious diseases - viral and bacterial factors in the early stages of gestation can seriously affect the development of the embryo. In this case, the fertilized egg may slow down its growth or not grow at all.


• Genetic disorders - in response to the presence of genetic abnormalities in the fetus, the female body may stop developing pregnancy, which will subsequently lead to miscarriage.
• Exposure to environmental factors - chronic stress, lack of sleep, poor diet, bad habits. All these factors can slow down the growth and development of the baby, while the fertilized egg will be less than term.

It is much less common to detect fetal enlargement in comparison with the age norm. This may also indicate an incorrect timing of conception. In other cases, an increase in size may be a manifestation of congenital aberrations in the development of the skeleton and central nervous system, infectious damage to the fetus, as well as endocrine diseases of the mother.

Further tactics

If during the examination a violation of the size of the embryo or other indicators of the fertilized egg is determined, you should not panic. This screening is only a preliminary examination.

Further actions of the doctor and mother:

1. Evaluate other parameters obtained during the survey.
2. Repeat ultrasound examination in a few weeks.
3. Eliminate exposure to adverse environmental factors, check for chronic infections.
4. If there are risk factors, start taking vitamin complexes and other medications.
5. Pass all the first screening tests and be examined by specialist doctors.
6. If indicated, perform invasive studies, such as amniocentesis.

Only after receiving all of the above results can more accurate conclusions be drawn and the question of the possibility of prolonging pregnancy can be decided.

If a doctor, during an ultrasound examination, reports that he sees a fertilized egg in the uterine cavity, the woman can be congratulated, because in 9 months she will become a mother. The presence of a fertilized egg can be determined already on the 7-9th day of missed menstruation. If the fertilized egg is in the uterus, then the pregnancy is normal, uterine. The specialist will immediately determine the size of the fertilized egg, its shape and location. In addition, he will pay special attention to whether there are other pathological conditions.

What does a fertilized egg look like?

The fertilized egg is an oval or round body with a diameter of several millimeters. The diameter of the ovum is measured during the first ultrasound. Taking into account its size, a specialist can determine the gestational age. But in some cases the error in determination is 1-1.5 weeks. Therefore, when trying to establish a period, the doctor also takes into account indicators of the coccygeal-parietal size.

At 3-8 weeks of pregnancy

the fertilized egg looks like a formation in the form of a ball or oval. Already at 5-6 weeks, the yolk sac, which provides nutrition to the embryo and performs a hematopoietic function in the early stages of embryonic development, is similar to a bubble inside the cavity of the fertilized egg. The size of the fertilized egg at this stage of pregnancy is from 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters. It is already possible to examine the embryo at this time. It looks like a five-millimeter strip located next to the yolk sac. And although it is not yet possible to determine which structure and part of the embryo, the heartbeat is already being recorded. At this time, the baby’s heart beats at a frequency of 150-230 beats per minute.

In addition, the neural tube is already forming in the fetus, and the cells distribute “responsibilities” among themselves, who will create which organs.

By the end of the 7th week, the embryo has already acquired its characteristic shape in the form of the letter C. At this time, it has already detached from the surface of the fertilized egg. An ultrasound can already distinguish the head, torso and tiny rudiments of arms and legs. The already formed umbilical cord is visible in the fertilized egg.

Irregular shape of the fertilized egg

Normally, the shape of the fertilized egg is oval or round. If it is flattened on the sides and looks like a bean, this may indicate the tone of the uterus. This condition should be monitored by a doctor. If nothing bothers the woman, then the deformity does not pose a threat to the pregnancy. In case of increased uterine tone, doctors prescribe a set of measures (bed rest, medication) to relieve hypertonicity and return the fertilized egg to its correct shape. This can be achieved by relaxing the muscles of the female reproductive organ.

But, if the fertilized egg has an irregular shape, and the woman experiences pain, discharge or symptoms of cervical dilatation, urgent measures must be taken. In such cases, the woman is assigned to the inpatient department of the hospital for safekeeping.

Detachment of the ovum

They call it an incipient abortion. In this case, premature rejection of the fertilized egg from the uterine wall is observed. Important note - when a spontaneous abortion begins, timely assistance is very important, because, in most cases, the pregnancy can be saved. The main thing is to do everything quickly and competently. Detachment is accompanied by nagging pain in the lower abdomen, pain in the lower back, and dark red and sometimes brown discharge. The reasons that cause detachment of the ovum include ovarian dysfunction, various diseases of the woman (tumors, inflammatory processes, infectious diseases), underdevelopment of the genital organs of the expectant mother, severe toxicosis, excessive physical activity, and stress. But the most obvious cause of detachment of the ovum is a lack of progesterone, which is often called the pregnancy hormone.

If a pregnant woman shows signs of abruption of the ovum, she (or relatives) should urgently call an ambulance and call the obstetrician-gynecologist to inform him about what happened. Until the ambulance team arrives, the woman should lie down and raise her legs up. You can rest them against the wall or put them on the back of the sofa.

Detachment of the ovum is dangerous because it can lead to abortion or missed abortion. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of detachment, you need to seek medical help.

Empty fertilized egg

At a very early stage, the embryo in the fertilized egg is not yet visible, and this is the norm. But from five weeks the embryo should already be visualized. If the embryo is not visible, a repeat examination is scheduled after 1-2 weeks. If this time there is neither an embryo nor a heartbeat, they speak of anembryony. In this case, the woman needs to cleanse.

You need to know that even if the ovum is empty, the pregnancy test will still be positive. This is due to the fact that certain mechanisms have been launched in the body, in particular, a special “pregnant hormone” - human chorionic gonadotropin - has begun to be produced.

The reason for the absence of an embryo in the fertilized egg, in most cases, is a failure at the genetic level. Also, anembryonia can be triggered by taking certain medications that are strictly prohibited during pregnancy.

If a woman is diagnosed with an “empty ovum,” which was confirmed by a repeat ultrasound examination, then there is no chance of pregnancy this time. Then the woman is given the necessary manipulations, prescribed treatment and sent for rehabilitation. Many women need not only physical, but also psychological rehabilitation to cope with the feelings and emotions that arise as a result of loss.

It is recommended to plan your next pregnancy at least six months later.

Especially for Olga Rizak