Food Aversions And Sensitivity To Smell
Sensitivity to certain smells is a common symptom for pregnant women. You may also find that your tastes have changed for certain types of food.
Any of the above signs can mean youre pregnant, but there are women who conceive and experience none of them. Likewise, you can experience all ten and not be pregnant. The best way to confirm pregnancy is to schedule an appointment with a provider, preferably your gynecologist.
If you notice a few of the early pregnancy symptoms above and think you may be pregnant, wait one or two days after your missed period and take a pregnancy test. If the test is negative, wait a few more days and take another, just in case the first was a false negative. If the test is positive, schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN.
At Baptist Health, were committed to helping women through every stage of their health journeys. If youre trying to conceive or thinking about getting pregnant, read through our preconception to-do list, or if you have an upcoming OB/GYN appointment, learn how you can get the most out of your visit.
What Are The Most Common Early Signs Of Pregnancy
- Missed period. If youre in your childbearing years and a week or more has passed without the start of an expected menstrual cycle, you might be pregnant. However, this symptom can be misleading if you have an irregular menstrual cycle.
- Tender, swollen breasts. Early in pregnancy hormonal changes might make your breasts sensitive and sore. The discomfort will likely decrease after a few weeks as your body adjusts to hormonal changes.
- Nausea with or without vomiting. Morning sickness, which can strike at any time of the day or night, often begins one month after you become pregnant. However, some women feel nausea earlier and some never experience it. While the cause of nausea during pregnancy isnt clear, pregnancy hormones likely play a role.
- Increased urination. You might find yourself urinating more often than usual. The amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy, causing your kidneys to process extra fluid that ends up in your bladder.
- Fatigue. Fatigue also ranks high among early symptoms of pregnancy. During early pregnancy, levels of the hormone progesterone soar which might make you feel sleepy.
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Are You Constipated Or Bloated
- A: Im as stopped up as Los Angeles morning traffic and my period is days late.
- B: I seem to be rather regular, thank you very much.
If you answered A: Snag a pregnancy test! That uncomfortable bloated feeling and constipation are often early signs youre expecting, as the pregnancy hormone progesterone slows down your digestive tract.
If you answered B: Sensing a pattern here? Although some moms-to-be may notice bloating very early on, others may not experience it until closer to month 3 of pregnancy.
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So Ive Got Some Of These Symptoms Am I Definitely Pregnant
Frustratingly, as weve already explained, many of the signs and symptoms of early pregnancy weve details above are the same as, or can be easily confused with, the signs and symptoms of PMS or the signs and symptoms that your periods on its way.
Some of the signs nausea, breast tenderness, mood swings, and a frequent need to wee are, anecdotally, more common signs of pregnancy than others. But you could be pregnant without experiencing any of them. And you may not be pregnant even if you experience them all.
We will all experience the first signs of pregnancy in completely different ways, says Dr Amin Gorgy. There is no specific way that you should feel. We are all individuals.
As wise forum mum gazsgirl says, Everyone is different and most symptoms are so like period ones, its always hard to know until you see the line.
Time to take a test if you havent already
About Our Fertility Expert Dr Amin Gorgy
Dr Gorgy co-founded The Fertility & Gynaecology Academy in 2004 and is now its co-director. Previously, he was the deputy director of the Assisted Reproduction and Gynaecology Centre. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and a member of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology.
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Tenderness Of The Breasts
Breast tenderness is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy you might experience. Well, I had been feeling lots of changes to my breasts.
Some breast changes you might experience:
- Swollen breasts
- Getting frustrated with anyone that talks to you in general
Staying active and maintaining a healthy diet can help you manage these symptoms.
Cranky, huh! I sure was cranky and I had been feeling extremely emotional. I actually did cry over minor incidents a couple of times. But did it mean I was pregnant?
I could see that all these weird things I was experiencing were early signs of pregnancy even before I missed a period. I still decided to wait to see if my period would come.
But before I tell you more of the story, let me tell you about all the other pregnancy symptoms I found that you might experience before missing a period and how to handle them.
The 14 Early Signs Of Pregnancy Before A Missed Period
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Early last year, I was so exhausted and overwhelmed all the time in a way that I could not explain. I felt like my body was going to give in and I thought I was suffering from burnout. I had not missed my period yet, so I had not considered this as one of the early signs of pregnancy.
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I thought of handing in my resignation at work but I had a month-long vacation coming up. So I decided to push through my feelings and make a decision on whether to stay or quit after my vacation.
Sometime within the month, I started noticing that my breasts felt different, they were so tender in a way that they hadnt been in a while.
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It didnt make sense, and I really didnt know what was going on with me. But I knew something was amiss.
On the other hand, the thought of being pregnant was ridiculous because my contraceptive implant was still good for another 2 years. Or was it?
With all these unexplained changes to my body, I brushed them off as possible side effects of birth control. I had been thinking about baby no. 2 and I was going to get rid of the contraceptive implant soon, so that gave me a sense of relief.
But I had this nagging feeling that kept reminding me that birth control methods are never 100% effective.
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This is what I found:
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Are Home Pregnancy Tests A Foolproof Indicator Of Pregnancy
During pregnancy, the body produces human chorionic gonadotropin , which can be detected in the urine. A Home Pregnancy Test checks for the presence of this hormone and declares a positive or negative result. While most home pregnancy tests are considered accurate, it is also dependent on the brand of pregnancy test you choose, as well as the timing of the test. Each pregnancy test brand recognises varying amounts of hCG in the urine. Moreover, hCG levels are low during the initial stages, and gradually increase as the pregnancy progresses. In many instances, you may take the test too early or use a less accurate test, prompting a negative result even when you may be pregnant, also called a false negative result. In some cases, certain drugs, medication, or proteins in the body may cause a false positive result. Hence, it is always best to confirm pregnancy by a doctor, via a blood test.
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How Do Pregnancy Tests Work
If you have a pregnancy test done at the doctors office, it basically lets the doctor know if your blood or urine contains hCG, which is a hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin. This particular hormone is made immediately after you have a fertilized egg attach itself to your uterus wall, typically happening around five or six days after its been fertilized.
Youll have a rapid rise in hCG levels if youre pregnant. Your hCG levels will typically double approximately every 72 hours early on in your pregnancy. There are two different types of pregnancy tests that will give you the same answer. These are blood and urine tests.
The staff at your local Carlisle, Harrisburg and Mechanicsburg urgent care centers realize that it can be an exciting time starting a family, but the uncertainty in the beginning surrounding pregnancy tests can be nerve-wracking. Many women dont even consider going to an urgent care center to have a pregnancy test done and often rely on a home test instead.
The problem with this is these types of tests can give you a false-negative or false-positive, which can really add on to this uncertainty. There are a number of reasons why home tests give you false results. Some reasons include:
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When To See A Doctor If You Have Signs Of Implantation Or Pregnancy
Light spotting, mild cramping, and changes in your breasts are normal signs and symptoms of implantation and early pregnancy. However, if you think that you might be pregnant and a pregnancy home test has confirmed this, you should visit your doctor.
The American Pregnancy Association recommends visiting your healthcare provider around 8 weeks after your last menstrual period. This will help you arrange the proper prenatal care and discuss pregnancy in general and birth options.13
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Signs And Symptoms Of Pregnancy Before A Missed Period
A pregnancy test is undoubtedly the most accurate way to assess if you are pregnant. However, experiencing a few common symptoms could reveal those first signs of pregnancy, much before a missed period. Here is a list of some early symptoms of pregnancy, which could help gauge if you are pregnant, prior to the agonizing wait to take the tests.
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Dont Plan Your Shower Just Yet
Appearance of these symptoms even when they are unusual, can be exciting and lead you to take an early pregnancy test. Some tests claim they can tell you up to a week before your period whether you are pregnant.
I once got three positive tests before my period, was over the moon and even booked a doctors appointment to confirm. By the time the appointment came around, my period arrived a week late and the tests were no longer positive.
Achy Hips Legs And Arms
Yep, its not just your back your hips, legs and even arms may also ache at different times during early pregnancy due to hormone changes.
Yesterday I had a achey left leg and an achey right arm and I was like, Am I falling to pieces? And then this morning I got a BFP . At least I know why! says Sparkling_DiamondButton.
Yes, says Dr Larisa. Its those pregnancy hormones loosening up your ligaments and joints to prepare for accommodating your growing baby.
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Funny Taste In Your Mouth
In very early pregnancy, some women report having a strange taste in their mouth at certain times of day. To some, this taste in their mouth is described as metallic. If you are experiencing this unusual taste in your mouth you may be in early pregnancy! Fortunately, this symptom only lasts a short time and resolves before your second trimester.
Although this isn’t always an innocent symptom as it can be a sign of something more serious, this funny taste in your mouth can come from fluctuating hormone levels that your body is experiencing before you even know you’re pregnant.
Cravings Or Disgust For Certain Foods
Everyone knows the cliche of food cravings for pickles alternating with huge amounts of ice cream during pregnancy. There is definitely some truth in it for some women. Sometimes pregnancy can cause new cravings and food aversions within the first few weeks after conception.
The exact explanation behind it has not yet been clarified though. Scientists again have concluded a context with the pregnancy hormone HCG.
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Fatigue Is An Early Sign Of Pregnancy And Implantation
Very soon after implantation and at the very start of pregnancy, you may begin to feel fatigued.
According to Dr. Tina Pagano on WebMD, the change in hormone levels takes a toll on your body and you will feel more tired than usual. Dr. Pagano says that the feelings of fatigue can occur as soon as a week after conceiving. Therefore, it is safe to say that you may start feeling fatigued a week or more before you expect your period.5
Other Causes Of Pregnancy Symptoms
In very early pregnancy, symptoms are usually mild. Due to this, it is easy to mistake pregnancy symptoms for normal aches and pains.
Hormonal shifts that happen as a womans period approaches may cause symptoms that also appear in pregnancy for example, breast tenderness and swelling. Some women with PMS can experience these symptoms ahead of every period.
In some cases, a woman may still experience the symptoms of early pregnancy despite not being pregnant. Possible reasons for this include:
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Can You Be Pregnant With Only A Few Symptoms
No, having a few pregnancy symptoms does not mean you are pregnant by default. As we explained earlier, the most typical pregnancy signs are akin to those of the PMS. The only way a woman can be sure if she is pregnant or not is by taking a pregnancy test, which measures her hCG levels. Keep in mind that hCG is only present in your body if you are pregnant.
Early Signs Of Pregnancy Before A Missed Period
Although a pregnancy test is going to be your best indicator to whether your HCG levels are high enough to make an appointment with your OBGYN, there are other signs and symptoms of pregnancy before a missed period. If you are impatient, like me, pay attention to the early signs of pregnancy that you might be able to notice before you can take an accurate pregnancy test.
You probably will not be experiencing all of these symptoms at once. Before I knew I was pregnant, I only felt a handful of early pregnancy signs and symptoms. Once the first trimester is in full swing, there will be a whole other list of ailments that you might have to look forward to. But for now, if you have two or three of these early signs of pregnancy before you miss your period, you can take it as a possible sign of pregnancy!
Please note: I am not a doctor and I am not giving medical advice. Information on this website is not intended to diagnose, or treat any form of any disease. This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. I am only telling you what my experiences are. Please refer to my Disclaimer Page for more information
This post might contain affiliate links. To learn more, you can read my full disclosure here.
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