Are you wondering if you might be pregnant? Obviously the signs and symptoms of pregnancy may indicate you
Well the evidence is in the pregnancy test. But even before your time is up, you can still suspect, or trust, that you are pregnant.
Therefore, it is important to know the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy and the causes why it occurs.
Early signs and symptoms of pregnancy may include the following.
1. Missed Menstrual cycle
If you are in child bearing age and a week or so went by without the start of the expected menstrual cycle, you may be pregnant.
However, this symptom may mislead if you have an irregular menstrual cycle. It is better to do a pregnancy test at home to confirm the pregnancy.
2. Tender breasts
Early in pregnancy, hormonal changes can make your breasts more sensitive and painful. The discomfort may subside after a few weeks as your body adjusts to the hormonal changes.
3.Nausea
Nausea is more commonly known as morning sickness, which can strike at any time but especially in the morning, usually starting one month after pregnancy.
However, some women feel nauseous or vomiting early in the pregnancy while eating and few others may not experience it. While the cause of nausea during pregnancy is unclear, pregnancy hormones may contribute to this symptom.
4.Frequent urination
You may find yourself urinating more often than usual. The reason behind is that the amount of blood in your body increases during pregnancy, causing your kidneys to process more fluid that ends up in your bladder.
5.Fatigue
Fatigue also stands high among the signs of pregnancy. During early pregnancy, progesterone hormone levels rise, which can make you feel sleepy and tired. So, more rest is needed.
6. Mood swings
The less obvious symptom of pregnancy that you may experience during the first trimester include mood swings or the emotional changes. The flood of hormones in your body during the pregnancy can make you feel strange, weepy and exhausted.
7. Bloating
Hormonal changes during early pregnancy can cause you to feel bloated, similar to how you might feel at the start of a menstrual period.
8. Light spotting
Sometimes a small amount of light spotting is one of the early signs of pregnancy. Known as implantation bleeding, it occurs when a fertilized egg attaches itself to the lining of the uterus, about a week or two after conception. Not every woman experiences it. The growth of cells on the lining of the uterus causes white discharge accompanied with the implantation bleeding.
9.cramping
Some women experience mild uterine contractions causes cramping in early pregnancy.
10.Constipation
Hormonal changes during early pregnancy can slow down the process of digestion which makes you to constipate. You can have plenty of water, exercise and eat fiber rich food to ease constipation problem.
11. Food craving and aversions
During pregnancy, you may be more sensitive to certain odors and your sense of taste may change. Like many other symptoms of pregnancy, these dietary options are altered by hormonal changes.
12. Basal body temperature
The basal body temperature and progesterone hormone levels increase during ovulation. It gets reduced if the egg is not fertilized, otherwise there will be an increase in temperature.
The Takeaway
Unfortunately, many of these signs and symptoms are not limited to pregnancy, some may indicate that you are sick or that your period is about to begin.
Similarly, you can get pregnant without experiencing many of these symptoms. However, if you miss a period and notice some of the above signs or symptoms, take a home pregnancy test or see your healthcare provider. If your home pregnancy test is positive, make an appointment with your health care provider.
Related articles : Pregnancy care in first trimester
Common signs and symptoms of pregnancy – https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/pregnancy/conditioninfo/signs