Week 5 is the earliest week that you might be able to hear your baby’s heartbeat during a transvaginal ultrasound. Because it it still so tiny, a fetal doppler device can’t pick up the heartbeat just yet.

If the heartbeat can’t be detected yet, don’t feel down! Remember that week 5 is the earliest time that the heart starts beating, but it doesn’t mean that it won’t develop in the next week or two. If a fetal pole can’t be visualized yet, a repeat ultrasound is performed in one or two weeks.

Though very small, the earliest pregnancy structures including the fetal pole undergo a lot of significant changes at this week. Your womb nourishes your early pregnancy, as cells divide into a million more to develop major body organs.