10 Pregnancy SignsThink you might be pregnant? There are 10 pregnancy signs that you may experience in the early stages of pregnancy that signal that a baby is on its way. Even after you’ve confirmed your pregnancy by a blood or urine test, you will likely continue to experience several of these 10 pregnancy signs as your pregnancy progresses.
1. Got cramps? Approximately 6 to 7 days after conception, the fertilized egg begins the process of attaching to the endometrial lining of the uterus. At that time, some women report feeling this implantation in the form of menstrual cramps. 2. A Missed Menstrual Period and Increased hCG Levels Within 7 to 9 days after conception, levels of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), which is a protein hormone that is produced in the second week of gestation and prevents menstruation, will rise. This is the earliest time in which a laboratory blood pregnancy test is able to detect hCG hormone in your body. It is most concentrated at 8 weeks of gestation and declines thereafter. If you are taking certain fertility medications that work by increasing hCG levels, it is recommended that you wait to take a pregnancy test until after you have missed your period since these medications may cause a false positive pregnancy test result if taken too early. 3. Spotting/Bleeding Are you experiencing spotting or bleeding that is different from your typical cycle? Implantation of the fertilized egg on the 6th or 7th day after fertilization may be followed by bleeding, which looks like light spotting. This occurs within 11 to 12 days after conception at about the same time you would notice that you missed your period. The bleeding is usually light in color and lasts for only 1 or 2 days. 4. Positive Pregnancy Test A positive pregmancy test is one of the 10 pregnancy signs. About 2 weeks after conception (i.e., about the time of your missed period), a urine pregnancy test is able to detect hCG levels. While not fail proof, these tests are reported to be approximately 95% accurate, particularly when taken one to two weeks after your missed period. 5. Breast Sensitivity A very common early pregnancy sign is breast tenderness or soreness, which is often associated with increased hormone levels, which are released by the body to prepare it for pregnancy. Since breast sensitivity is also experienced by non-pregnant women during the period after ovulation and prior to menstruation, it is important to look out for intensified tenderness or soreness that lasts longer than your previous cycles.
6. Lack of Energy A lack of Energy is one of the 10 pregnancy signs. In the early stages of pregnancy, the embryo doubles in size almost every day. One common symptom of this rapid growth as well as the surge in hormones is a lack of energy that ranges from fatigue to complete exhaustion. Fatigue will continue until the 2nd trimester and then return again in the 3rd trimester. 7. Abdominal Bloating or Discomfort Do your clothes feel tighter than usual? Even in the early stages of pregnancy, you may experience abdominal bloating or discomfort, which is caused by hormonal changes and may feel similar to pre-menstrual symptoms. 8. Nausea and Vomiting Most women are able to escape the nausea and vomiting associated with pregnancy until about a month after conception, although they may experience queasiness before then. While it is often referred to as “morning sickness”, it can occur in the early morning, during the day, or even at night. While these symptoms subside in about 50% percent of women by the beginning of the second trimester, it may take up to another month for nausea and vomiting to lessen for other women. 9. Frequent Urination Do you find yourself going to the bathroom more frequently to urinate? Shortly after you become pregnant, the amount of blood and other fluids in your body dramatically increases, which results in more fluid being processed by your kidneys and retained in your bladder. This sign may start as early as 6 weeks in the first trimester and worsens during the later stages of pregnancy. As your baby grows within the uterus, your bladder has less room to expand and hold fluid, which makes you feel like you have to urinate more often. 10. Enhanced Sense of Smell or Increased Hunger and Cravings In the initial stages of pregnancy, you may find yourself repulsed by the smell of certain foods or other aromas. Although the cause is unclear, this may be a side effect of the increasing levels of estrogen within your body as a result of pregnancy. In addition, you may also experience increased hunger and cravings for certain foods. While these 10 pregnancy signs commonly occur in the early stages of pregnancy, there are a number of other signs that you may experience such as: *Increased basal body temperature *More frequent headaches *Constipation *Acne *Heartburn Once you have confirmed that you a pregnant via a home pregnancy test, you should make an appointment with your health care practitioner for further evaluation.
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