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The following are common early signs of pregnancy. However, symptoms of pregnancy are not the same for every woman. In fact, your own symptoms may actually be different from one pregnancy to another.
1. Delay of Menstruation:
Haven’t had your period? While this is definitely a sign you may be pregnant, other possible causes could be excessive weight gain or loss; fatigue; hormonal problems; tension; stress; going off the birth control pill; and breastfeeding. If there’s a chance you may be pregnant, it may be a good idea to take a home pregnancy test.
2. Sensitivity to Smells:
Scents that were never pleasant (like cigarette smoke) and even ones that were pleasing (like your partner’s cologne) can also make you queasy during pregnancy’s early stages. “For some women, this can be a tip-off that they are expecting,” Moore says. This is likely a result of rising hormone levels. Unfortunately, “there is really nothing you can do except avoid them where you can,” she says, “especially cigarette smoke, which is not good for you or the baby.”
3. Breast Tenderness:
Some women notice breast tenderness when they ovulate and right around the time their period is due. Breast tenderness is also an early sign of pregnancy. When you are pregnant, your body produces higher levels of estrogen and progesterone. The hormonal changes in early pregnancy causes the blood flow to your breasts to increase and can make the breast tissue feel more sensitive and swollen.
4. Elevated Basal Body Temperature:
The body’s basal temperature (the lowest body temperature that happens during rest) begins to elevate after ovulation, and stays elevated beyond your next expected period. Ovulation is when a mature egg is released from the ovary and pushed down the fallopian tube and is ready to be fertilized by a sperm.
5. Feeling Sick:
If you’re lucky you’ll escape this completely. However morning sickness is a common symptom of early pregnancy. It often starts when you’re four to six weeks pregnant. You may feel nauseated and queasy, or even vomit. Despite its name, morning sickness can affect you morning, noon or night.
6. Increased Cervical Mucus:
A surge in progesterone often results in a surge of creamy cervical mucus production. Some women may notice a little, and some notice much more.
7. Spotting:
At around 8-10 days after ovulation (just before you would normally get your period) you may notice light spotting, which is caused from the implantation of the embryo into your uterus lining. The spotting is usually pinkish in colour and not red like a normal period.
8. Skin Changes:
The integumentary system goes through several alterations due to both hormonal and mechanical changes. Some of these may have been blown off as old wives tales, while others you may never have heard of before.
9. Do You Feel Bloated?
There are some women out there that bloat almost immediately. Again, this is a symptom of pregnancy, but it is not necessarily a sign. Many women have bloating before they have their period.
10. Low Back Pain:
Early pregnancy symptoms of low back pain can be “a real pain,” literally. This low back pain is caused by several factors. First is your weight change. You gain some weight because you are pregnant, your uterus gets bigger, and your baby grows larger every week. Next, your posture and torso are thrown out of alignment. This changes your posture and puts a strain on your back.
Are you experiencing one or more of these very early symptoms of pregnancy? If you have even the slightest idea that you may be pregnant, get a home pregnancy test from your local drug store and test yourself. Then, you’ll know for sure and if positive, you can then notify your doctor and start taking care of your new baby.
1. Delay of Menstruation:
Haven’t had your period? While this is definitely a sign you may be pregnant, other possible causes could be excessive weight gain or loss; fatigue; hormonal problems; tension; stress; going off the birth control pill; and breastfeeding. If there’s a chance you may be pregnant, it may be a good idea to take a home pregnancy test.
2. Sensitivity to Smells:
Scents that were never pleasant (like cigarette smoke) and even ones that were pleasing (like your partner’s cologne) can also make you queasy during pregnancy’s early stages. “For some women, this can be a tip-off that they are expecting,” Moore says. This is likely a result of rising hormone levels. Unfortunately, “there is really nothing you can do except avoid them where you can,” she says, “especially cigarette smoke, which is not good for you or the baby.”
3. Breast Tenderness:
Some women notice breast tenderness when they ovulate and right around the time their period is due. Breast tenderness is also an early sign of pregnancy. When you are pregnant, your body produces higher levels of estrogen and progesterone. The hormonal changes in early pregnancy causes the blood flow to your breasts to increase and can make the breast tissue feel more sensitive and swollen.
4. Elevated Basal Body Temperature:
The body’s basal temperature (the lowest body temperature that happens during rest) begins to elevate after ovulation, and stays elevated beyond your next expected period. Ovulation is when a mature egg is released from the ovary and pushed down the fallopian tube and is ready to be fertilized by a sperm.
5. Feeling Sick:
If you’re lucky you’ll escape this completely. However morning sickness is a common symptom of early pregnancy. It often starts when you’re four to six weeks pregnant. You may feel nauseated and queasy, or even vomit. Despite its name, morning sickness can affect you morning, noon or night.
6. Increased Cervical Mucus:
A surge in progesterone often results in a surge of creamy cervical mucus production. Some women may notice a little, and some notice much more.
7. Spotting:
At around 8-10 days after ovulation (just before you would normally get your period) you may notice light spotting, which is caused from the implantation of the embryo into your uterus lining. The spotting is usually pinkish in colour and not red like a normal period.
8. Skin Changes:
The integumentary system goes through several alterations due to both hormonal and mechanical changes. Some of these may have been blown off as old wives tales, while others you may never have heard of before.
9. Do You Feel Bloated?
There are some women out there that bloat almost immediately. Again, this is a symptom of pregnancy, but it is not necessarily a sign. Many women have bloating before they have their period.
10. Low Back Pain:
Early pregnancy symptoms of low back pain can be “a real pain,” literally. This low back pain is caused by several factors. First is your weight change. You gain some weight because you are pregnant, your uterus gets bigger, and your baby grows larger every week. Next, your posture and torso are thrown out of alignment. This changes your posture and puts a strain on your back.
Are you experiencing one or more of these very early symptoms of pregnancy? If you have even the slightest idea that you may be pregnant, get a home pregnancy test from your local drug store and test yourself. Then, you’ll know for sure and if positive, you can then notify your doctor and start taking care of your new baby.
