The early signs of pregnancy vary from woman to woman and depend on each pregnancy; they could range from missing your period to experiencing implantation bleeding.
Many early pregnancy symptoms, caused by rising pregnancy hormones, include missed periods and implantation bleeding; fatigue; bloating; twinges/cramps.
Sore Breasts & Nipples
Women may notice in early pregnancy that their breasts and the area surrounding the nipples (known as the areola) become tender to touch due to rapid increases in progesterone hormone. This symptom usually lingers throughout most of the first trimester.
Pregnancy often causes the area around your nipples to darken as another indicator. This is caused by the gonadotrophin-producing chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), a new gland which releases substance that prepares the nipples for breastfeeding when baby arrives. Some women will also experience thrush, a yeast infection which results in sore and swollen nipples with burning or stinging sensations; prevention methods include wearing loose clothing or using unscented body wash products.
Fatigue is one of the more frequently occurring symptoms of pregnancy, often beginning as soon as one week postconception due to changes in hormone levels – especially progesterone – but should subside when entering her second trimester. Frequent trips to the bathroom are another typical pregnancies symptom as your body produces blood for your growing fetus.
Mild Cramping
Some women experience light cramping early on during gestation. Although these symptoms could easily be confused with menstruation, it’s best to inform your physician immediately if any are felt as this could indicate implantation and stretching of muscles as the fetus grows causing cramps to form in your uterus causing cramps as a response. In addition, many pregnant women also experience bloating, constipation or nausea due to hormonal fluctuations during their pregnancies.
These symptoms are the result of fluctuating hormones, and may vary from woman to woman. Early signs are typically an excellent predictor that you might be pregnant; even though there may not be definitive proof such as an accurate pregnancy test. Missed periods are an obvious telltale sign of pregnancy; menstruation should shed the uterine lining where fertilized eggs would implant themselves into your womb and shed. Missed periods don’t necessarily indicate pregnancy; stress, exercise, diet and hormone imbalances could all cause irregular periods. Fatigue may also be an early pregnancy symptom related to hormones. Women pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant may experience cravings or aversions to certain foods due to fluctuating hormones affecting metabolism and appetite. A change in taste could also indicate gestation as some women develop an unexpected fondness for non-food items like dirt or paper (called pica), possibly signaling nutritional deficiency or depletion.
Increased Sense of Smell
Pregnancy can alter your sense of smell. Certain foods and odors may become intolerable or make you nauseous due to an increase in Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), typically between the 2nd and 8th week. While morning sickness typically manifests itself during this period, this symptom often lasts through to 16th week pregnancy and usually passes.
One of the first indicators of pregnancy can be missed periods, though these could also be caused by stress, exercise or dieting. Light spotting could also indicate gestation; this phenomenon is actually called implantation bleeding and typically happens 10-14 days post conception.
Early symptoms of pregnancy often include fatigue, bloating and frequent urination; you might also notice decreased libido as your body prepares to create life. Some women also experience constipation caused by pressure from an expanding uterus on the bowels; cravings or food aversions might also arise due to hormonal shifts; though not every pregnant woman experiences all these signs at the same time, but all are very common early on in gestation.
Nausea (Morning Sickness)
Most pregnant women experience some degree of nausea during the first trimester of gestation. Although it can happen at any time and is sometimes unavoidable, don’t be alarmed; this is simply due to increasing hormone levels and your uterus expanding. Many women also report becoming sensitive to certain smells – perfumed odors can make them queasy! For best results it is wise to avoid foods or beverages which make you queasy as this will help ensure a smooth pregnancy journey!
Pregnancy may also be revealed early through light spotting or bleeding, caused by fertilized eggs attaching themselves to the uterus’ lining and normally appearing around the same time as your period is due to arrive.
Women often experience increased frequency of urination in early pregnancy due to an expanding uterus that puts pressure on the bladder, as well as changes in taste or craving for certain foods (known as pica). Furthermore, some pregnant women develop haemorrhoids due to pressure from rectal veins – something more commonly experienced during the second half.
