In this article, let’s discuss the signs of early pregnancy: 14 initial pregnancy signs. Could you be pregnant? Pay attention to these early pregnancy signs. Some of these signs may manifest before missing your period.
It’s possible that you’ve stopped using birth control and started tracking your cycle while trying to conceive. When you feel the signs you’re experiencing are just PMS, or could I be pregnant? You may ask.
Before testing for a home pregnancy, open a new window, including early pregnancy signs such as heightened sense of smell, changes in the breasts, and fatigue, can raise your hopes. Distinguishing between these early signs of pregnancy and signs you feel before your period can be difficult because many of them are similar.
These early signs, some of which may manifest before a missed period, can give you indications that you may be expecting, though the only way to confirm it is by taking a pregnancy test and consulting a doctor.
When do pregnancy signs begin?
Firstly, it’s important to remember that different people experience pregnancy signs at different stages. And while some pregnant women experience every conceivable sign, others don’t start showing any (or very few) signs until several weeks into their pregnancy.
Next, the timeline for common pregnancy signs is provided based on a 28-day menstrual cycle:
- 14 days or more after your last period: Conception occurs.
- If your previous cycle was 17 days or more ago: Fatigue, breast tenderness, heightened sense of smell, and an increase in basal body temperature can begin.
- 20-26 days after your most recent period: Implantation bleeding may occur, and cervical mucus can become heavier.
- After your last period, between 28 to 35 days: Changes in mood and increased urination can start.
- In the first trimester, at any time, other signs of pregnancy can also occur: 35 days or more after your last period.
Early Signs of Pregnancy:
Although some women report positive signs of pregnancy before taking a pregnancy test, others do not exhibit any early signs of pregnancy at all. Common early pregnancy signs include:
- Increased Basal Body Temperature: If you’ve been monitoring your morning basal body temperature with a specific basal body thermometer, you may have noticed that when you’re pregnant, it rises by almost 1 degree and remains elevated throughout.While there isn’t a specific early sign of pregnancy (your temperature can rise for other reasons), it can give you a hint beforehand.
- Heightened Sense of Smell: An early sign of pregnancy is an increased sensitivity to smell, making previously mild odors strong and unpleasant. If your sense of smell suddenly becomes more sensitive and you easily pick up on scents, it could be an early pregnancy symptom, as many women report.
- Changes in Breasts: You can notice changes in your breasts during the early days of pregnancy, such as soft, swollen breasts and a deep, dark areola. Although this isn’t a specific early sign (your breasts can change for other reasons), the tenderness can be a positive indication that your body is getting ready to produce milk.
- Fatigue: Imagine trying to climb a mountain without any prior training while carrying a heavy load. In a way, that’s how pregnancy works! In other words, it’s an exhausting endeavor that illustrates why early pregnancy signs, such as fatigue, affect almost all expectant mothers.
Pregnancy requires a great deal of energy, much of which is allocated to the development of the placenta, which acts as a life support system for the baby.
Pregnancy requires a great deal of energy, much of which is allocated to the development of the placenta, which acts as a life support system for the baby. Despite the discomfort, fatigue is beneficial because it indicates that your body is preparing to feed the baby.While pregnancy signs can vary from person to person, these early signs often serve as a precursor to more definitive signs of pregnancy.
- Spotting (Implantation bleeding): Some women may experience spotting or light bleeding before their expected period, which is sometimes a sign that the embryo has implanted itself into the uterine wall.
- Changes in cervical mucus: Have you started examining cervical mucus? Then look for this: After ovulation, if it turns creamy and stays that way, there’s a chance your pregnancy test will come back positive.
- Frequent urination: Increased urination can be a desire you experience in the first two to three weeks after fertilization. The sudden urge to urinate occurs due to the hormone hCG, which increases blood flow to your pelvis, potentially causing increased pressure on your bladder.
- Mood swings: Your life is undergoing rapid changes, so attribute mood swings to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy. Take it easy, maintain your dietary and sleep requirements, and treat yourself kindly.
- Nausea (Morning sickness): Nausea can start in the early days of pregnancy, typically around weeks 2-4. It may not always be limited to mornings; you might feel queasy or nauseous at any time of the day.
- Food aversions: You may develop aversions to certain foods, and even the thought of some dishes can make you feel queasy. This is also related to hormonal changes.
- Implantation Bleeding
Experiencing implantation bleeding through implantation of blood is possible when you are pregnant. In fact, some women face bleeding through implantation 5 to 12 days after conception.
Among the early signs of pregnancy, spotting before menstruation is included, which can sometimes indicate that the embryo has attached itself to the uterine wall.
Here, you differentiate implantation bleeding from menstrual blood: Implantation bleeding during menstruation is rare and uncommon. Instead, it is usually light pink or pale brown in color. Furthermore, it only lasts for a few hours to a few days and is very mild (much lighter than your period).
However, spotting can sometimes occur during your regular cycle, especially if your cycle is irregular or disturbed. When you are not pregnant, mid-cycle spotting can occasionally occur as a reaction to a vaginal examination, pap smear, or rough se..xual intercourse.
- Changes in Cervical Mucus
Have you started studying cervical mucus? Then, look at it now: after ovulation, if it becomes creamy and remains so, it is possible that your pregnancy test will come back positive.
As your pregnancy progresses, you may experience leukorrhea, an increase in vaginal discharge. While this milky white, thin discharge is normal and healthy, if it appears lumpy or heavy, consult your doctor.
- Frequent Urination
After fertilization, two to three weeks later, you may experience an increased desire to urinate. This sudden desire is brought about by the pregnancy hormone hCG, which increases blood flow around your pelvis, potentially causing it to press on your bladder, making it necessary to use the restroom more frequently.
You may feel some pressure on your bladder, indicating that you have less space to store urine, and you need to use the restroom with greater regularity.
- Mood Changes
Once again, attribute any changes in mood to hormonal changes associated with pregnancy. You may experience PMS-like mood swings in the early weeks of your pregnancy. Later on in the first trimester and throughout the rest of the pregnancy, you can feel more in control one moment and anxious or discouraged the next.
- Shorter Menstrual Periods
Your life is rapidly changing, so mood swings associated with hormonal changes during pregnancy are entirely normal. Take it easy, take care of your nutrition and sleep needs, and treat yourself as kindly as possible.
(In the short term: weeks 4-9)
However, it may become evident that if you have missed your period, you should suspect pregnancy, especially if your periods are usually regular. One early sign of pregnancy that every expectant mother feels is a decrease in menstruation!
- Inflammation
Struggling to button your jeans? Inflammation in early pregnancy, which many women feel immediately after pregnancy, can be difficult to distinguish from period stains.
The hormone progesterone, which helps slow down digestion and gives more time for nutrients from foods to enter your blood and reach your baby, is responsible for the inflammatory, excessive eating feeling you’re experiencing.
11. Heartburn and indigestion
Indigestion and heartburn Heartburn is a distressing symptom that can start around the second trimester of pregnancy for many women. These hormones are brought on by progesterone and relaxing, which slow the passage of food through your GI system by relaxing smooth muscle tissue throughout your body. Chewing gum without sugar and taking medications like Tums and Rolaids can both be beneficial.
12. Morning sickness or nausea
Morning sickness is a recognizable, nauseated feeling that can occur at any moment of the day. It usually starts around six weeks of pregnancy, although it can start early. Most women experience nausea by the ninth week.
This early pregnancy symptom similar to sea disease can be brought about by hormones, especially high levels of progesterone (although estrogen and hCG may also share some charges). This causes the stomach to gradually empty.
13. Food aversions
Another early symptom of pregnancy, food aversion, where thinking about something you usually enjoy, the sight or smell can irritate you (or, worse, make you more susceptible to morning sickness), can be caused by your extra-sensitive nose.
This common early sign of pregnancy can be brought about by anything including salads and seemingly innocent food chicken.
It often appears in the first trimester of pregnancy even if it is not one of the first symptoms. Again, blame pregnancy hormones, especially early on when your body is growing with them and still getting used to all the changes in hormone levels. Don’t panic. By the second trimester, when things calm down there, this early sign of pregnancy often goes away.
14. Excess saliva
Too much saliva in the early days of pregnancy, some pregnant mothers develop sputum buildup, also known as ptyalism gravidarum. It is believed that this symptom, which usually appears in the first trimester, is your body’s attempt to protect your mouth, teeth, and throat from the harmful effects of stomach acid.
How are early pregnancy symptoms and PMS different?
The majority of early pregnancy symptoms that appear before your period are quite similar to PMS side effects. Only while pregnant will you see changes in your earlobes (they will look darker, wider, and brighter). Although they are not 100% specific signs of pregnancy, both continuously increased BBT and creamy vaginal discharge after ovulation are relatively reliable indicators.
Otherwise, you should wait until you take a pregnancy test to see if additional early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, breast soreness, fatigue, inflammation, and scent sensitivity are caused by the baby or PMS.
When can I have a pregnancy test at home?
While you may have some early signs of pre-menstrual pregnancy, most women should wait an average of two weeks after ovulation for positive results on a home pregnancy test. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels in your urine are detected by pregnancy tests at home.
About six to twelve days after fertilization, when a fetus begins to implant in your uterus, this hormone produced from the placenta makes its way into your urine. Most home pregnancy tests can be used as soon as hCG is found in your urine, and often, hCG levels aren’t high enough to be identified by a home pregnancy test until you complete your period.
Can’t wait until then? Four to five days before you can expect your period, some HPTs guarantee an accuracy of 60 to 75 percent. Symptoms of Pregnancy: 14 Early Pregnancy Signs. If you wait until your period, the rate goes up to 90%, and if you wait another week, the results are 99.9% correct.
Since false negatives are often significantly higher than false positives, consult your doctor if your menstrual period comes and goes without a menstrual flow. In any case you should have a blood test to determine your pregnancy status.
Making an appointment with your OB/GYN is the only way to make sure you’re pregnant, regardless of whether you’re experiencing symptoms.
If it turns out you have early signs of pregnancy, be careful to book your first prenatal visit as soon as possible so you get the best treatment right away. Also, congratulations if you’re expecting a baby! You are embarking on an unforgettable journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
How quickly do pregnancy symptoms begin?
You may experience very early signs of pregnancy before you miss out on menstruation.
What are the signs of pregnancy first?
The first signs of pregnancy often include increased sense of smell, sensitive breasts, fatigue, and increased body temperature.
What are the 10 main indicators of pregnancy?
- Sensitivity to smell
- soft breast
- Fatigue
- Increase in core body temperature.
- Bleeding from the transplant
- Changes in cervical mucus
- Urinating frequently
- Change in mood.
- A missed period
- Morning sickness or nausea
How does the first quarter feel?
You may experience severe fatigue, nausea, pain or soft breasts, and increased sensitivity to the mantle. In addition, you may experience minor spots due to implantation bleeding. Mood changes, frequent urination, inflammation, diet aversion, and too much saliva are early signs of pregnancy.