10 Early signs of pregnancy

Are you experiencing some changes and thinking that you are pregnant? Do you know some early signs will appear in week one of your pregnancy, even before you miss your periods? This article highlights the most common early pregnancy signs a pregnant woman will experience.

How Quickly Can I Know if I Am Pregnant?

You can know if you are pregnant a week after missing your period. Home pregnancy tests are not expensive and do not need a prescription from a doctor. Conducting the test much earlier may give you a false negative since there are not enough hormones for the urine test.

The urine tests will detect hormones in your urine about 3 weeks after ovulation. Blood tests are more accurate and will detect hormones at around 6 days after ovulation. Some signs like nausea, breast tenderness, and bloating may occur but are not sure proof of pregnancy, only a test can prove that you are pregnant.

 Check out these symptoms to know whether you should get a pregnancy test to prove it.

Sore Breasts

Pregnant women will often experience sore breasts due to the fluctuation of hormones. More progesterone and estrogen are been made in early pregnancy, which causes the breast glands to start growing. The hormones cause the breasts to retain more fluids and feel heavy and more sensitive than the normal tenderness.  You may feel more tenderness in the first two weeks after conception.

Implantation Bleeding

The fertilized egg will implant itself on the uterus lining at about 6 to 12 days after conception. Light vaginal spotting may be seen. You may often mistake implantation bleeding for the start of your menstruation. But the implantation bleeding is lighter. 

Although it is normal to experience this in your first month of pregnancy, ensure you inform your gynecologist since there are other reasons for bleeding during pregnancy. Other reasons include; ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, or some infections.

Bloating

When progesterone levels are high, they slow down your digestive system activities and make your tummy feel more full than usual. When your periods arrive, the progesterone levels decrease, and the bloating goes away.

Headache

Fluctuation of hormones will cause headaches. You may experience mild tension headaches during the early stage, which will reduce when estrogen levels stabilize. Increased blood volume is another cause of frequent headaches as an early sign of pregnancy.

Mood Swings

As the hormone levels increase, you will experience fatigue which causes moodiness. It is normal to find yourself weeping out of nothing. Combined with breast tenderness and headaches, moodiness worsens. 

Nausea

Pregnancy hormones, mostly progesterone, cause many things to slow down. The digestion process may slow down, sometimes causing constipation or indigestion. Since your stomach does not empty frequently, you may feel the urge to purge more often through the mouth.

More than 80% of pregnant women will experience morning sickness as an early sign of pregnancy. Luckily, it will not strike past the first trimester.

Ensure you stay hydrated by taking enough water. Call your doctor for advice if the nausea is too much.

Dark Areolas

Check your breast nipples, are the tips looking darker than usual? Pregnancy hormones affect melanin production activities, especially around the nipple areas.

Smell sensitivity

You may experience more or less smell sensitivity. More smell is more common, especially in the first or third trimester. Some smells that were not a concern to you may become less pleasing to the extent of triggering nausea.

Normal smell sensitivity will return to normal after delivery.

Dizziness and High Blood Pressure

The volume of your blood increases, causing a dilation of the blood vessels. These may cause dizziness. Your doctor should check your blood pressure levels at every visit. Ensure you drink enough water to help reduce dizziness.

Increased Basal Body Temperature

You can measure your basal body temperature every morning to know when you are ovulating. Normally the temperature remains high until you get your period. So, if the basal body temperature does not decrease, it means you are probably pregnant.

Can I have these early pregnancy symptoms and still not be pregnant?

Yes, it is possible. Early signs of pregnancy can be the same as those of other conditions symptoms, especially premenstrual symptoms. The listed signs and symptoms will often occur in most pregnant women; however, they are not sure of proof of pregnancy. The only sure proof is a pregnancy test.

When should I see a doctor about my new pregnancy?

If your pregnancy test has come out positive, it is high time that you plan to visit the hospital. At this visit, the doctor will physically examine you and conduct other tests to ensure everything is okay. You will also get counseling on healthy eating, and for those who were not prepared for motherhood, you will get to talk about any questions you may have.