It’s too early to take an at-home pregnancy test, but you’re afraid you’re pregnant. Is there any way to tell if you are pregnant or not? Below are several signs of early pregnancy. They can give you strong indications of pregnancy, but the only definitive proof is a positive pregnancy test.
Not all women will experience every one of these symptoms. The same woman may not experience the same symptoms from one pregnancy to the next. So, having one symptom and not another doesn’t mean you are pregnant any more than it means you’re not.
Most Common Signs of Early Pregnancy
Here are the most common signs of early pregnancy you might experience:
Missed period: If your period is a week late past your expected menstrual cycle, you may be pregnant. If you have irregular cycles, this can be misleading.
Sore breasts: Breasts may become very tender and swollen with the veins becoming more visible. Your nipples may also start to darken and become sensitive.
Nausea: This may begin as early as one week into a pregnancy and may include vomiting. This is often referred to as morning sickness, but some experience it in the afternoon, the evening, or all day.
Tiredness: When your body is going through so many changes, it’s normal to be a bit tired.
Increased urination: During pregnancy, the uterus swells and enlarges. This puts pressure on the bladder, resulting in increased urination.
Less Common Signs of Early Pregnancy
Some of the less common, or not as often recognized, signs of early pregnancy include:
Spotting: Light bleeding/spotting may happen 8-10 days after ovulation, usually around the time you would have started your period. This can lead you to think your period began when you are, in fact, pregnant. The spotting is caused by implantation of the fertilized egg.
Mood changes: Say thank you to the flood of extra hormones for this symptom.
Cramping: It’s possible you may experience mild uterine cramping.
Food aversion: Another one thanks to the hormones. It can result in a sensitivity to certain odors and a change in the sense of taste, such as a metallic taste.
Constipation: This, too, is caused by hormones slowing the digestive system down.
Some other, less common, symptoms could include: headaches; low backache/pain; darkened areolas; sore gums; cervical mucus; temperature sensitivity; and excess saliva.
Everyone is Different
Every woman experiences pregnancy differently. Not everyone will have the same symptoms, and each woman will have them to different degrees. For instance, one woman may suddenly feel sick when smelling microwave popcorn, while another says the smell of cooked chicken makes her ill.
The two constants that every woman will experience is missing her period for the duration and weight gain.
Come See Us
If you think you may be pregnant, make an appointment to come in and see us at Willowbrook Women’s Center. We are here to offer you support, critical information you need, and testing to determine if you’re pregnant. If you are pregnant, we will help you walk through the next steps.
