Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Signs

Are you trying to get pregnant? Or do you think you may be pregnant? How would you know when you are actually pregnant? There are a couple of ways to tell if you may be pregnant the first of which is missing your period.

As per the American Pregnancy Association Poll:

• 29% of the women that were surveyed indicated that their first sign of pregnancy was a missed period.
• nother 25% of the women surveyed said it was nausea.
• For 17% of women, it was breast tenderness that they first noticed.

Here are some possible signs and symptoms of a pregnant woman:

• Week 1 - 4 : Mild Cramping – Cramping in the early weeks of pregnancy indicates the egg being properly implanted into the wall of the uterus. Severe cramping and pain could be a sign that something is wrong though. Therefore, if you are experiencing severe pain and or cramping, you should visit your doctor.

• Week 1 - 4 : Spotting – This type of light bleeding is one of the most common signs of early pregnancy. This is normal if it is light and not as heavy as your period. It shouldn’t last more than a couple of days and is usually a sign that the egg is being implanted. If you have irregular bleeding that is heavier than your period and which lasts for more than a few days, you should see your doctor.

• Week 4 or 5 : Fatigue - As your body begins working on growing that small ball of cells, you will become very fatigued. When combined with other symptoms from this list, chances are very high that you are pregnant.

  Week 4 - 6 : Bloating – This early symptom is often caused by progesterone which is the pregnancy hormone.

• Week 4 - 6 : Morning Sickness – This is probably the most common and weird sign of pregnancy but some women have it earlier than some, while some women do not have it any at all. If you find yourself vomiting and always feeling nauseated, you may be forming a little bun in the oven.

• Week 4 - 6 : Mood Swings – With fluctuation in hormone levels, you will not only see bloating but will also find yourself having mood swings. Mood swings caused by pregnancy usually get less after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

• Week 4 - 6 : Sore Breasts – This is another early sign of pregnancy which is due to fluctuating hormones. They may be tender and also swollen which will cause some amount of discomfort when touched.

If you are experiencing the above-mentioned symptoms, you may be pregnant and should check with your health care professional.

It is important to note that all pregnant women do not have the same symptoms, neither will they have the same symptoms with the same severity. One woman may find that she will experience a particular set of symptoms with her first child and not with any of her other children or vice versa.