Youve Missed Your Period
If youâre in your childbearing years, sexually active, and more than a week has passed since the day your period was expected to start, itâs very possible youâre pregnant. If you have an irregular menstrual cycle, have recently experienced significant weight loss or weight gain, or stopped taking your birth control pills, a missed period may not be a reason to worry. However, missed periods are perhaps the most tell-tale sign of a potential pregnancy, so be sure to take a pregnancy test if youâre in this situation. Many pregnant women experience some bleeding around two weeks after fertilization and mistake it for a light period, but a missed period on their next cycle will indicate a pregnancy. â
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How Do You Know If Your Period Is Late
Whether youre busy or just have a lot on your mind, its easy to forget when you should expect your period to start. But if youre not sure when to expect your period, its hard to know if its late.
A period tracking app like Flo can help. By logging your usual menstrual cycle dates, Flo can predict when you can expect your period. This information can also be very useful if you need to go to your health care provider when you miss your period. Having information about your cycle can help them understand whats happening inside your body.
There are lots of causes for a late period that arent pregnancy. Some of the most common causes of late periods include:
Onset Frequency And Severity Of Symptoms
The first trimester of pregnancy is when most people experience common symptoms like fatigue, morning sickness, sensitivity to smells, and breast soreness. In general, early pregnancy symptoms show up around five to six weeks after the first day of your last menstrual period.
Breast tenderness can begin within one or two weeks of conception. You also might notice changes in your weight . Most of the more intense symptoms of pregnancy typically begin to subside by the second trimester.
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/11aversion To Certain Foods
Pregnancy comes along a heightened sense of smell because estrogen also impacts your senses. It can so happen that you may feel a sense of aversion towards some foods, experience bloating, nausea in the very early days of pregnancy. For some, this can also kick in as the dreaded morning sickness. Note all the changes if you have been feeling hungry or experience a loss of appetite during your cycle.
How Do Pregnancy Tests Work
Pregnancy tests work by detecting one of the key early signs of pregnancy: a hormone called human chorionic gonadotrophin . This hormone is only made when a woman is pregnant.
Traces of hCG can be found in the urine from three to four days after implantation, but the concentration needs to continue to build up to a level at which the test can detect it and give a positive result. The best time to take a pregnancy test is from the day that the period is missed.
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How Many Days Late Can A Period Be Before Worrying About Pregnancy
Everyones cycle is different. Healthy cycles can range in length from 21 to 35 days, and how long a cycle lasts can vary from cycle to cycle. Unless you have irregular cycles due to a medical condition, you probably have at least a rough idea of when to expect your next period.
A period is considered late if it hasnt started within seven days of when you expect it. Most pregnancy tests will be able to give you accurate results by the time your period is late. If you get a negative pregnancy test after missing a period, and your period is more than a week late, you may want to see your health care provider to figure out whats going on.
If you get a negative pregnancy test result, still havent gotten your period, and start to experience early pregnancy symptoms, consider taking another test. Sometimes, home pregnancy tests can give a false-negative result if its taken too early in the pregnancy to detect human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine. In these cases, it can take a bit longer to know youre pregnant after a late period. The earliest hCG detection can be done with an hCG serum test performed by a doctor as early as 8 to 10 days after ovulation.
What If Youre Uncertain About Your Pregnancy
If youve taken an early pregnancy detection test at home, you may have got a positive result but not experienced any symptoms.
Early pregnancy detection strips measure the level of hCG in the urine to determine pregnancy. The level of hCG hormone is very low during the early stages. Hence, if youve taken a test and are uncertain of your pregnancy, its best to visit a gynaecologist and get your blood and urine tested to determine pregnancy.
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Symptoms Of Constipation In Pregnancy
Constipation is one of the unpleasant and annoying complications of pregnancy
Remember that irregular bowel movements, which rarely occur in the body of normal women, will be the main cause of constipation in pregnancy, as you know, under normal circumstances, many factors such as daily diet, side effects of medications Heavy metal poisoning, hypothyroidism and hormonal disorders can cause constipation in pregnancy.
As a new organ begins to live inside a womans uterus, many changes take place in their bodies, most of which will be difficult and exhausting for young pregnant mothers due to their inexperience. One of these cases is constipation in pregnancy. . In fact, every pregnant mother at this beautiful stage of her life may experience more fatigue than ever. But you can enjoy all the seconds of this period by doing some simple things and using the experiences of the elders and those around you. It is true that it is said that during a womans pregnancy, a wide range of not so favorable signs and symptoms will appear in her body, but every conscious pregnant woman will be able to pay attention to her daily nutrition and take more care of her health. The child in her womb will make this difficult period enjoyable and unforgettable for herself and her husband, and finally, she will give birth to a healthy and strong child.
Every bowel movement and bowel movement occurs 1 to 2 days apart, be aware that you have constipation during pregnancy.
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No Period Not Pregnant What Can Be The Hidden Causes
1. Stress
It is common to experience amenorrhea after a stressful event in females. Such a condition is called hypothalamic amenorrhea. Hypothalamus is the part of brain which regulates the reproductive system it is also responsible for the release of hormones that participate in the pregnancy process.A hormonal disturbance caused by significant stress can result in amenorrhea in most cases.
2. Low Weight
Low body weight or extremely low caloric intake suppresses the activity of hypothalamus in which case hypothalamus does not release the required female hormone to buildthe uterine lining.Some conditions associated with weight loss such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa also causes a decline or an increase in estrogen levels, both resulting in abnormal periods or no periods.
3. Thyroid Disorder
Thyroid gland is responsible for the regulation of metabolism, reproduction, energy generation and maintenance of associated systems. If a person is suffering from thyroid problems such as hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism then a significant effect on the menstrual cycle is also observed in the form of amenorrhea.
4. PCO
Polycystic ovary syndrome is characterized by formation of small cysts in the ovary and associated areas. Some of the classic symptoms of PCOS include missed periods , fertility issues, weight loss, etc. The pathophysiology revolves around an imbalance in female reproductive hormones including estrogen, progesterone.
5. Birth Control
6. Premature Menopause
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Development Of Embryo And Fetus
The sperm and the egg cell, which has been released from one of the female’s two ovaries, unite in one of the two Fallopian tubes. The fertilized egg, known as a zygote, then moves toward the uterus, a journey that can take up to a week to complete. Cell division begins approximately 24 to 36 hours after the female and male cells unite. Cell division continues at a rapid rate and the cells then develop into what is known as a blastocyst. The blastocyst arrives at the uterus and attaches to the uterine wall, a process known as implantation.
The development of the mass of cells that will become the infant is called embryogenesis during the first approximately ten weeks of gestation. During this time, cells begin to differentiate into the various body systems. The basic outlines of the organ, body, and nervous systems are established. By the end of the embryonic stage, the beginnings of features such as fingers, eyes, mouth, and ears become visible. Also during this time, there is development of structures important to the support of the embryo, including the placenta and umbilical cord. The placenta connects the developing embryo to the uterine wall to allow nutrient uptake, waste elimination, and gas exchange via the mother’s blood supply. The umbilical cord is the connecting cord from the embryo or fetus to the placenta.
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Missed Period During Early Pregnancy
Once implantation is complete, your body will begin producing human chorionic gonadotropin . This hormone helps the body maintain the pregnancy. It also tells the ovaries to stop releasing mature eggs each month.
You will likely miss your next period four weeks after conception. If you have an irregular period, youll want to take a pregnancy test to confirm.
Most home tests can detect hCG as soon as eight days after a missed period. A pregnancy test will be able to detect hCG levels in your urine and show if you are pregnant.
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When You Are Not Sure Of Your Pregnancy
Most of the time when you think you are pregnant but still dont have symptoms you will be in one of two situations: youve had a positive home pregnancy test but still need to see your doctor or you are going through the two week wait after ovulation but before your menstrual period. As hard as it is to be in either of these situations, the best option is to wait and take care of yourself in the meantime. You will probably be able to confirm your pregnancy very soon.
Pregnant Symptoms But Got My Period And Negative Test
If you had an early period, pregnancy symptoms with a negative pregnancy test, then its likely because of implantation bleeding.
During implantation, your bodys human chorionic gonadotropin is still very low and increases twofold every 48 hours. A pregnancy test taken a few days after implantation may be negative.
If you got your period early with pregnancy symptoms and a negative pregnancy test, you should wait until a week after your period and retake your test.
If you missed period with a negative pregnancy test, you should learn the other reasons why your period is late.
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Complete Absence Of Pregnancy Symptoms
Some people who are pregnant are relieved to have few or no symptoms, but others worry that a lack of symptoms is a sign that their pregnancy is not healthy or that it could end in miscarriage. If you don’t have any pregnancy symptoms at all, rest assured that while it isn’t common, it’s not impossible.
Studies have indicated that around 1 in 475 women reach the 5-month mark before realizing that they are pregnant. “Cryptic” or “denied” pregnancies can occur for many reasons, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome. Sometimes, it’s as simple as someone not looking or feeling pregnant until they are nearly halfway through their pregnancy.
When Can I Take A Home Pregnancy Test
Although you may start to feel early pregnancy symptoms before your period, most women have to wait for an average of two weeks from the time they ovulate for a positive home pregnancy test result. Home pregnancy tests measure levels of human chorionic gonadotropin in your urine.
This placenta-produced hormone makes its way into your urine almost immediately after an embryo begins implanting in your uterus, between six to 12 days after fertilization. You can start using most home pregnancy tests as soon as hCG can be detected in your urine and hCG levels usually arent high enough to be picked up by a home pregnancy test until your periods expected.
Cant wait until then? Some HPTs promise 60 to 75 percent accuracy four to five days before you expect your period. Wait until your period and the rate jumps to 90 percent wait another week and the results are 99 percent accurate.
Know that false negatives are much more common than false positives, so if the time for your period comes and goes without your monthly flow, check in with your health care provider. Either way, youll want to get a blood test to confirm your pregnancy status.
No matter what symptoms you’re having, the only way to know for sure that you’re pregnant is to make an appointment with your OB/GYN.
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Is There Anything I Can Look For
Probably the most reliable physical symptom of early pregnancy is a missed period. Noticing that your breasts are getting increasingly sore, or experiencing symptoms that you dont usually get around the time of your period, are also signs that you could be pregnant. But again, a blood test will be the best way to know for sure.
Other Symptoms Of Pregnancy
There are other symptoms of early pregnancy you might experience, including:
- Youre bleeding, but only slightly. For some women, an early symptom of pregnancy is spotting. Its called implantation bleeding, and it happens about 10 to 14 days after conception when the fertilized egg attaches to the uterine lining. This kind of bleeding doesnt last long, and it usually happens around the time youd normally have a period. This can be misleading. The difference is that implantation bleeding isnt typically as heavy as menstrual bleeding.
- Youre having mood swings. If youre feeling particularly emotional or find yourself bursting into tears, it can be a result of pregnancy hormones.
- Youre constipated. Its not comfortable, but a sluggish digestive system is another hormone-related issue that some women experience during pregnancy.
- Youre experiencing backaches. While lower back pain can be a problem for the length of a pregnancy, some women notice it very early on.
- You need to use the bathroom more frequently. Somewhere between six to eight weeks after conceiving, you may find that you have an increased need to urinate, but dont feel any pain or urgency.
While all of these symptoms can be signs of early pregnancy, they can also mean something else altogether. The reverse is also true: You may have none of these symptoms, but be pregnant.
A missed period can also be unrelated to a pregnancy. It could be due to:
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