Every woman’s experience of pregnancy differs; however, early symptoms include missed periods, spotting, and cramping.
Am I pregnant?
Spotting is an indication that a fertilized egg has taken root within your uterus lining and has implanted itself, appearing like light periods or brownish discharge. Women also often report cramping that can feel like pulling, pinching or tingling sensations.
Sore Breasts
Sore breasts are often one of the first telltale signs that someone is expecting. Your body responds by producing hormones which cause sensitive or soreness in your chest area during the early trimester, although that doesn’t always signify you’re expecting just yet if an unsupportive bra is to blame.
However, if the pain and tenderness are accompanied by missed periods or light bleeding (from dark red to pink and thin discharge) that is similar to your menstrual cycle, that could be one of the earliest pregnancy signs. Implantation bleeding typically occurs six to 12 days after fertilized eggs attach themselves to your uterine wall and represents one of the earliest indicators that you could be expecting a baby.
Keep in mind that symptoms associated with normal menstruation cycles may appear similar to pregnancy symptoms; every woman’s experience varies; don’t let one symptom convince you that you are expecting! If you suspect pregnancy, take a test; the results will give an accurate answer.
Frequent Urination
Frequent urination is one of the early pregnancy signs most women notice, since pregnant women generally produce more blood and their kidneys must filter it all. Waste from this extra blood exits their bodies in urine form four to eight times daily, making this frequent peeing an indicator that something might be going on.
Typically, increased urges to pee are accompanied by an urgency for urine output and often causes the bladder to fill more rapidly than usual – these symptoms typically persist through gestation.
Light vaginal bleeding may also indicate early pregnancy for most women. Implantation – when fertilized eggs reach the uterus and attach themselves to its wall – causes light periods, spotting, or cramping that typically appear 6-12 days post fertilization – an early indicator that your pregnancy has begun. This early pregnancy sign could signal your early gestation.
Nausea
Nausea is another early pregnancy sign that is common during the initial stages. This can happen any time of the day or night and may include increased sense of smell, food aversions and an unpleasant metallic taste in your mouth.
Not all women experience nausea and many of these early warning signs may also be caused by other things; however, when combined with missed periods and the other symptoms listed above they can help confirm a woman is pregnant.
Spotting or bleeding during early pregnancy is another common sign, known as “implantation bleeding.” This happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterus wall; similar to menstruation but usually lasting only for a day or two.
Cramping is another telltale early pregnancy sign and should not be mistaken for premenstrual pain. This symptom could be due to many things; such as an increase in progesterone hormone relaxing smooth muscles and slowing digestion or an enlarged uterus pressing on an inferior vena cava and decreasing blood flow from lower extremities back towards the heart.
Abdominal Discomfort
Pain in your lower abdomen is one of the more prevalent pregnancy symptoms, caused by increased pressure on organs and hormone levels rising rapidly during gestation. Some women feel this discomfort as dull ache while others may experience sharp cramping sensations.
Light vaginal bleeding may signal early pregnancy, usually around the time you would anticipate starting your period. This implantation bleeding usually lasts 1-2 days but sometimes lasts longer – though its subtle appearance makes it hard to recognize as a sign of gestation.
Other early pregnancy signs include a sore or swollen abdomen, fatigue, feeling unwell, a runny nose and nasal congestion due to increased hormone levels and blood flow causing mucous membranes in your nose to swell up with extra fluid production. While these symptoms usually don’t require medical intervention immediately, they could indicate pre-eclampsia which requires professional advice immediately.
Light Bleeding
Early pregnancy women often experience spotting, which could be an indicator that their fertilized egg has successfully implanted and resulted in light bleeding. It could also indicate an infection or abnormal growth; for this reason it’s wise to have it checked by your healthcare provider as soon as possible.
Bleeding during early pregnancy typically occurs 1-2 weeks after fertilization has taken place and implanted the fertilized egg into the uterus, but may go undetected as a pregnancy sign due to subtlety; sometimes women only become aware that they’ve missed a period when taking home pregnancy tests and get positive results.
Missed periods are one of the first telltale signs that a woman might be pregnant and usually prompt her to take a home pregnancy test or blood test to verify it. Blood testing measures levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), the pregnancy hormone.
