Signs of Early Pregnancy

Introduction

Signs of Early Pregnancy can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy. You may feel your body making changes before you know you’re pregnant or do not notice any symptoms. This is because hormonal changes take place during pregnancy. These cause a variety of symptoms.

Signs/Symptoms of early pregnancy include

• A missed period,
• Needing to pee more often,
• Tender breasts,
• Nausea and Vomiting
• Food Cravings or Aversions

Signs of Early Pregnancy

A missed period

The most common and obvious signs of early pregnancy is a missed period. Some women experience light bleeding around the time of their expected period.

But missing your period isn’t always a sign of pregnancy. You can also miss your period from stress, excessive exercise, dieting, hormone imbalances, and other factors that might cause irregular periods.

Needing to pee more often

Pregnancy causes an increase in levels of body fluids. This happens because you have more blood than before. During pregnancy, your body’s blood supply increases, and most women start experiencing more frequent urination within the first few weeks of becoming pregnant.

Tender Breast

During pregnancy, breasts can become tender to the touch and swollen. These changes are similar to those you may have noticed in the few days before your period. During pregnancy, the skin around the nipple becomes darker and the veins in the breast become more obvious.

Nausea and vomiting

Nausea can happen as early as two weeks into a pregnancy. Not everyone experiences nausea and there are various levels of nausea. Some pregnant women vomit due to nausea.

‘Morning’ sickness is a condition that affects all pregnant women. Morning sickness usually begins around the fourth to sixth week of pregnancy.

Food Cravings or Aversions

Certain food cravings are very common during pregnancy. Some foods and flavors may seem wonderful in early pregnancy, while others might suddenly taste unpleasant. Even some women develop an unusual taste for non-food items such as soil or paper. This is called ‘pica’ and may indicate a nutrient deficiency.

Other symptoms of pregnancy

Some additional signs of early pregnancy aren’t as common.

• Backache
• Breathlessness
• Constipation
• Piles
• Headaches and dizziness
• Heartburn
• Itching
• A metallic taste in your mouth
• Mood changes (such as unexplained crying)
• Tingling and numbness in your hands
• Vaginal discharge
• Vaginitis
• Leg cramps
• Skin changes or acne

FAQ on Signs of Early Pregnancy

Some people feel pregnant within a few days of conception, while other people don’t feel pregnant for weeks after a positive pregnancy test.

Feel pregnant before you miss your period?

You can feel pregnant before you miss your period. Some people say they’ve felt pregnancy symptoms within a week of conception

When can I take a pregnancy test?

Pregnancy tests work by detecting a certain level of human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) in your pee. You can take a pregnancy test as soon as you’ve missed your period. However, it’s best to wait at least one week after you’ve missed your period to get the most accurate results

My home pregnancy test is positive

If your home pregnancy test is positive, you should see your doctor for a blood test. The blood test can confirm your pregnancy by measuring human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG).

My home pregnancy test is negative

If your home pregnancy test is negative, but you still think you may be pregnant, you can see your doctor for a blood test to check. Your symptoms may be due to something other than pregnancy.

Emotions during pregnancy

The hormonal changes in early pregnancy can also cause changes to your mood. You may feel emotional and cry more easily. These feelings are pervasive in early pregnancy.