Signs and Symptoms of Early Pregnancy

Many women every day hope to discover they are pregnant.  Many try for months, even years to conceive a child.  There are many different signs that a woman may be pregnant.  All the symptoms occur at different stages of pregnancy depending on the woman and some are fortunate enough not to have any of the usual signs.  Below you will find a list and a small explanation of a few of the more common signs/symptoms of early pregnancy.  If you are in any doubt that you may be pregnant or you have just discovered your pregnant please go and see your GP as soon as possible to allow a healthy pregnancy for you and your unborn baby.

1) Implantation bleeding

You may experience implantation bleeding as one of the earliest signs of pregnancy.  This usually occurs between 6-12 days after conception, when the embryo implants itself in the uterine wall.  You willll probably notice a small amount of spotting as well as a little cramping when this happens.

2) No Period

This is the most common sign of pregnancy.  You will be waiting for your regular period to arrive but it does not show.

3) Swollen or Tender Breasts

Swollen or tender breasts can occur any time from 1-2 weeks after conception.  You may notice small changes like them being tender to touch sore or slightly swollen.

4) Fatigue/Tiredness

This is also a symptom that can strike as early as the first week after conception.  Many women will notice occasional tiredness at the end of a long day; others will feel drowsy or withdrawn all day and require early nights or naps throughout the day.

5) Nausea/Morning Sickness

This is a very well known symptom of pregnancy that can occur from around two weeks after conception.  Morning sickness does not necessarily mean you just feel sick in the morning; you may experience this in the evenings or sometimes throughout the day.  This usually gets better at about 12 weeks into your pregnancy but some women experience it until they are full term.

6) Lower Backache

This is a common complaint in early pregnancy.  It is caused by the spine softening and adjusting to the extra weight that will be carried throughout pregnancy.  This can continue throughout your entire pregnancy.

7) Headaches

Some women experience headaches during the early stages of pregnancy.  This is due to a sudden rise in hormones after conception.

8) Frequent Urination

At around 6-8 weeks you may find yourself taking extra trips to the toilet.  During pregnancy the amount of blood and other fluids in your body increase which means extra fluids being processed by your kidneys and ending up in your bladder.  Also in early pregnancy the uterus presses on the bladder it eases off as the uterus pops out of the pubic bone and then comes back later on as the baby starts to tap dance on your bladder.

9) Darkening of the Areolas

If you are pregnant you may notice the skin around your nipples becomes darker and you have little bumps on your areola these are called Montgomery's Tubercules.

10) Food Cravings

Food cravings for a particular taste can start early in pregnancy and continue throughout until full term.

11) Increased sensitivity to odours

In early pregnancy it is not uncommon to feel repelled by strong smells or odours such as coffee or cigarette smoke and particularly aromas that trigger your gag reflex.  You may also find that certain foods you used to enjoy suddenly start to repulse you.

12) Bloating of the waistline

The hormonal changes in early pregnancy may leave you feeling bloated.  It can feel similar to the feelings you may have just before a period arrives.  Your clothes may begin to feel a little more snug than usual from early on, even while your uterus is still small.

13) Temperature

If you have been charting your temperature whilst trying to conceive and it has stayed elevated for 18 days in a row there will be a high possibility that you are pregnant.

14) Metallic taste in your mouth

In early pregnancy some women experience a strange taste in their mouth.  This is usually described as a 'metallic taste'.

15) Dizziness/Fainting

One of the more surprising symptoms of pregnancy is dizziness and/or fainting.  Going upstairs, standing up suddenly after sitting for a long time or simply having to stand in line at the supermarket can make you feel light headed.  You may even feel faint.  As the uterus swells it compresses arteries in your legs.  This can drop blood pressure and make you feel dizzy. This may also be a problem if you have not eaten for a while.  This is due to low blood sugar.

16) Heartburn/Constipation

This symptom is caused by the uterus starting to swell and pushing against the stomach and other organs as it grows.  Also, increasing levels of hormones such as Relaxin slow down digestion and bowel functions.

17) Mood swings

With all the other symptoms of pregnancy to deal with, along with raging hormones is there any wonder a newly pregnant woman may suffer with forever changing moods?

18) Positive Pregnancy Test

This is the most certain sign you will have that you are pregnant.  A false positive result is extremely rare.  If you get a positive result on a pregnancy test consult your GP as soon as possible to ensure a happy, healthy pregnancy for you and your unborn baby.

Sometimes it is hard to know whether you are pregnant before you get a positive pregnancy test as a lot of the symptoms are very similar to the symptoms you get before your period.  It can also be very tempting to buy early pregnancy tests from on line sites that can tell you up to 5 days before your period is due that you are pregnant it is still better to wait to at least when your period is due this can save a lot of heartache from false negatives and also extremely early miscarriages when the egg does not implant correctly.

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This is a members article written by  Strawberry