Week 6: Facial Features Form
Tiny facial features are taking shape — little dots where the eyes and nostrils will be. The jaw, cheeks, and chin are beginning to form.
Medically reviewed by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN
Nursing Informaticist · United States Navy Nurse Corps · Last reviewed
Your baby is the size of a...
🟤 Lentil!
👶 Baby Development
- ✓Facial features begin forming — eyes, nose, ears, jaw
- ✓Heart beats at about 100-160 beats per minute
- ✓Brain hemispheres are developing
- ✓Lungs, liver, and kidneys start forming
- ✓Small buds will become arms and legs
- ✓Intestines are developing
💊 Common Symptoms
- •Morning sickness may intensify
- •Bloating and gas
- •Mood swings and emotional changes
- •Frequent urination
- •Breast changes — darker areolas
- •Mild headaches
🩺Clinical Context — From a Nurse's View
Week 6 is usually the first ultrasound. Cardiac activity is typically visible on transvaginal scan by 6w0d-6w3d at 100-120 BPM, and once a heartbeat is documented, the miscarriage risk drops to roughly 5-10% in someone without bleeding (Hasan et al., 2009). If your scan was done a few days earlier and didn't show cardiac activity yet, that is not the same as a missed miscarriage — repeat imaging in 7-10 days is the standard. Bleeding at this stage is common; about 1 in 4 pregnancies have first-trimester bleeding, and most continue normally. The pattern that worries us in the ED is heavy bright-red bleeding (soaking a pad in under an hour) or sharp, escalating one-sided pelvic pain — both warrant immediate evaluation to rule out miscarriage in progress or ectopic. Nausea and breast tenderness peak for many people around weeks 6-9. If you're pregnant after IVF or fertility meds, your hCG may be higher than expected — that's the meds, not twins (necessarily).
Written by Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN — Emergency Department nurse, US Navy Nurse Corps officer.
🚨 When to Call (or Go to the ER)
- !Heavy bright-red bleeding soaking a pad in an hour — ER
- !One-sided sharp pelvic pain with shoulder-tip pain — ER for ectopic workup
- !Fever above 100.4°F with pelvic pain — same-day call
- !Severe vomiting where fluids won't stay down for 12+ hours — call
- !Sudden complete loss of all pregnancy symptoms paired with bleeding — call within 24 hours
✅ Normal — Even If It Feels Worrying
- ✓Light pink or brown spotting after sex or a bowel movement
- ✓Cramping that feels like period cramps without bleeding
- ✓Symptoms varying day to day
- ✓Heartbeat not yet visible if dating is on the early end of week 6
✅ To-Do This Week
- Schedule your first ultrasound (usually around weeks 6-8)
- Start thinking about when to share the news
- Begin researching childcare options in your area
- Keep crackers by your bed for morning nausea
- Wear a supportive bra for breast comfort
- Avoid unpasteurized foods and raw fish
🩺 Questions for Your Doctor
- ?Is my morning sickness severity normal?
- ?When is the first ultrasound scheduled?
- ?Should I be worried about any bleeding?
- ?Are headaches normal in early pregnancy?
- ?What exercise is safe for me right now?
- ?How do I manage food aversions while eating healthy?
📚 References
- [1]Hasan R, Baird DD, et al. Patterns and predictors of vaginal bleeding in the first trimester of pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2009;114(4):860-867.
- [2]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 200: Early Pregnancy Loss. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;132(5):e197-e207.
- [3]ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 189: Nausea and Vomiting of Pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;131(1):e15-e30.
Editorial review: Samantha L. Fox, RN, BSN, MSN. Last reviewed: see footer.
Your baby is the size of a...