15 early symptoms of pregnancy

It would be great if the woman’s womb would start sending clear signals about the pregnancy on the next day after the conception. Unfortunately it is not so, and we can only observe the symptoms of hormonal сhanges in the body. Every woman is different, so the signs of early pregnancy may be absent altogether, or may manifest themselves all at once during the first month.

According to medical research, the egg usually gets fertilized within 12 hours after the ovulation (and no longer than 24 hours because the egg dies after that time). The symptoms of pregnancy can become noticeable only after the implantation, which happens 7 to 10 days after the ovulation. The embryo starts producing the hCG hormone only after it attaches to the uterine wall, so it is unlikely that you would detect any symptoms of pregnancy prior to that. Ideally you should perform pregnancy tests starting from the day of the expected menstruation. Although there are many other reasons that may cause a late period.

What are the earliest symptoms?

 If you are not observing any of the signs described below, that does not mean you are not pregnant. Your body may be reacting differently to the conception, so the hormonal level changes may not be affecting you enough to notice.

Elevated basal temperature

If you are watching your cycle and take measurements of your basal temperature, you will notice that it stays elevated after the ovulation. If the egg did not get fertilized, the basal temperutare will drop and the period will start as normal.

Missed period

The most common and well-known symptom is a missed period. But there are many other reasons a period could be late, such as stress or illness. On the other hand, many women report menstruation even during pregnancy.

Morning sickness

Morning sickness is another well-known symptom of pregnancy. Of course, it may happen at any time of day, whenever the blood sugar drops low enough. This is why you should have regular meals during pregnancy. Some women experience morning sickness during the first trimester, others may have it throughout the entire pregnancy.

Changes in the breasts

• The nipples become soft and sensitive to touch;
• The nipples become darker;
• The veins in the breast become visible;
• The areolas enlarge and become darker;
• The sebaceous glands on the areola may enlarge or increase in numbers.

Increase in natural discharges

The changes in hormone levels causes the increase of the amount of cervical fluids. Some women may not notice this, while others may have to change the pads more often.

Tiredness

Your metabolism speeds up during the pregnancy in order to support the baby and your own body. This leads to endless fatigue. You may feel tired or sleepy all the time. Do not fight yourself, take a rest.

Frequent urination

As soon as one week after the conception you may notice that you have go to bathroom more often. This happens because the embryo produces hCG hormone that increases the pelvic blood flow. As a result, the bladder feels full even when it has a minimal amount of urine. This could be especially bothersome at nights.

Spasms in the underbelly

This symptom can be very worrisome because many women are afraid of miscarriage. But your womb is always contracting, even when you are not pregnant. It is perfectly normal during the pregnancy as well, because the baby is growing and pushing against the uterine wall, causing the contractions.

However, if the contractions are accompanied by blood, it can indeed be a miscarriage. In this case you should immediately call your doctor. Do not panic – sometimes a bloody discharge can be just another sign of pregnancy.

Bloody discharge

8 to 10 days after the ovulation you may notice some light-colored discharge with traces of blood. Those discharges are usually not as brightly colored as the normal period.

Constipation and gases

The increased hormone level changes the way your bowels work, which often leads to constipations. Fortunatlely, there are many effective and safe medicines to help with this problem.

Smells

Smells that never bothered you before may become a real problem now. Even the smell of cooking food could become disgusting to you.

Colds and/or stuffy nose

The immune system of a pregnant woman is depressed so her body would not reject the baby. As a result, the mom-to-be becomes very susceptible to various infections.

Acne

You could find yourself prone to acne even if you never had this problem before.

Taste

The elevated hormone level may affect your saliva. You may feel a slight metallic taste in your mouth which changes the taste of the food you eat.

Mood swings

From the first weeks of pregnancy the woman’s mood may be swinging from unexpained happiness to extreme sadness. Irritability could become a real problem in relations with others.

Pregnancy tests

Sometimes a pregnancy test may come up negative. Even if the conception was successful, the hCG hormone level may not be high enough to trigger the test. Just wait for a couple of weeks and try the test again.

Gynecological exam

Your doctor could offer you a urine test, a blood test or a gynecological examination to diagnose the pregnancy. The first two methods are perfectly sufficient, it is better to skip the exam procedure to avoid possible infections.