21 Early Signs of Pregnancy
If you’re expecting to get pregnant you will need to know the early signs and symptoms which indicates a woman’s pregnancy. The most common and obvious sign of pregnancy is a missed period, but this is not the only sign of pregnancy. Essentially, a woman becomes pregnant right after an egg fertilises and implants itself in the uterus wall. And this happens way before you miss your period. Generally, the symptoms of pregnancy can occur as early as 2 to 3 weeks pregnant. Your body starts showing many indications and symptoms of pregnancy while you are a few days or weeks into pregnancy.
Although, pregnancy test is the most effective way to find out if you’re pregnant, there are many signs you can look out for before you go for the pregnancy test.
Astonishingly, there are a great number of early signs of pregnancy that shows a woman might be pregnant. By having a discussion with fertility experts, midwives and obstetricians and by analysing the latest scientific research, we have compiled 21 most common early signs of pregnancy.
1 . Sore, Sensitive and Heavy Breasts
Soreness or tenderness of breasts, heaviness and pain in breasts, are some common symptoms of pregnancy noticed in most women. Areoles (the dark circles around the nipples) become even more dark and wide and the nipples tend to feel itchy and tingly. The breasts start to feel fuller and heavier. These symptoms are very similar to pre-menstrual breast signs.
2 . Period-like Cramps
You might experience mild cramps in your lower stomach and lower back. These cramps may feel familiar to the cramps you feel before your periods. So, this can be a confusing sign of pregnancy.
3 . Elevated Basal Body Temperature (BBT)
Basal Body Temperature (BBT) is the temperature of your body when it is at complete rest. This sign of pregnancy is often more accurate than other symptoms. However, your BBT should be monitored for months to see a significant change. During pregnancy, your basal body temperature would rise and stay elevated throughout.
4 . Fatigue and Tiredness
Due to hormonal changes and high progesterone levels, your body will feel tired and sleepy all the time. To support the growth of foetus, body starts producing more blood resulting in exhaustion.
5 . Nausea
In the initial stages of pregnancy, 80% of pregnant women experience nausea, also called ‘morning sickness’. However, it does not necessarily occur in the morning.
6 . Urge to Urinate
Due to hormonal changes and increased production of blood, frequent urge to urinate is a common symptom of pregnancy.
7 . Sensitivity to Smells and Food Cravings
A sudden sensitivity to smells, food aversions or cravings for your favorite food are the signs that occur in the initial stage of pregnancy.
8 . Dizziness
Due to reduced blood pressure, the pregnant woman may experience lightheadedness or dizziness.
9.Mood Swings
Mood swings (due to change in hormones) may make you feel upbeat at one moment and very low the next.
10 . Bloating
The increased progesterone levels result in bloating. This is one of the most common signs of pregnancy.
11 . Constipation
The bowels tend to constipate due to progesterone hormone. This can be an early detector of pregnancy.
12 . Headache
The low blood sugar levels during pregnancy cause headaches. The over work of conception, oestrogen and progesterone hormones for the development of uterus, blood sugar levels may drop.
13 . Change in Cervical Mucus
The increased, thicker and creamier release of cervical mucus, is an early sign of pregnancy.
14 . Shortness of Breath
During pregnancy the body requires more oxygen, resulting in shortness of breath.
15 . Metallic Taste in Mouth
During pregnancy, you may find yourself having a strange metallic taste in your mouth called Dysgeusia.
16 . Dry Mouth
You may tend to feel hungry and thirsty all the time, even before you miss your period. You could feel excessively thirsty due to the increase in blood volume.
17 . Excessive Saliva
Some women may produce excessive saliva before they miss their period. This condition is primarily known as ptyalis gradidarum. However, this is not a very common symptom of pregnancy.
18 . Backaches and Pain
The task to make space for a new life inside you is done by hormones. This requires the stretching of ligaments. The stretch in ligaments and joints could result in backaches and pain in the body.
19 . Acne, Scars and Pimples
In the early stages of pregnancy, occurrence of pimples, acne and zits are common due to increased hormonal levels.
20 . Vivid Dreams
Hormones work in an astonishing manner, which may cause bizarre dreams and illusions in pregnant women.
21 . Hot Flashes
Experiencing frequent hot flashes could be an early sign of pregnancy. It is very common to occur when your periods are due or when menopause sets in.
Remember, one should always go for the pregnancy test and not only depend on the above mentioned signs to ensure pregnancy, as every woman’s body experiences pregnancy differently. The above mentioned 21 early signs of pregnancy are some common symptoms experienced by most women that will help you to know what symptoms you may experience in the early stages of pregnancy