Signs of Pregnancy
e-mail
While home pregnancy tests are becoming more and more sophisticated in regards to providing early results, it can still be important for many women to understand the early signs of pregnancy. Some of the signs of pregnancy are fairly well known, such as a missed menstrual cycle, but there are also many other signs of pregnancy that may go unnoticed.
One of the most common signs of pregnancy that many women overlook early in pregnancy is an extreme lethargy. This tiredness is commonly associated with late pregnancy as the baby is gaining weight and placing strain on the mother's body, but an expectant mother can also feel extreme tiredness early in pregnancy as well. In fact, the woman may experience this sense of lethargy before she even misses a menstrual cycle. While everyone feels tired from time to time, this lethargy is often described as much different. The woman may feel a profound need to sleep and may feel simply 'drained.'
Another sign of pregnancy that many women experience quite early in pregnancy is tenderness in the breasts. Once again, this symptom may be confused with the tenderness that is commonly experienced during the latter portion of the menstrual cycle. The soreness that is associated with pregnancy is typically more pronounced than the tenderness felt during the latter portion of the menstrual cycle.
Most women associate nausea and queasiness with pregnancy. It should be noted that this sign of pregnancy can vary from one woman to the next. Some women are very fortunate and do not experience any nausea at all. Others are unfortunately sick throughout much of their pregnancies. Typically, the nausea will begin to dissipate after the first few weeks. The time at which the nausea first appears may also vary as well, but on average morning sickness typically begins around six weeks. It is not unknown for morning sickness to show up as early as two weeks after conception.
Frequency in urination is another symptom of pregnancy that may be noticed early as well. This is another symptom that a woman may notice even before she realizes or even suspects that she is pregnant.
A lower backache can also be a sign of pregnancy. Backaches are common throughout pregnancy and may become more pronounced as the pregnancy progresses. Even before a woman truly realizes that she is pregnant, however, she may notice a dull ache in the lower area of the back.
Another symptom of pregnancy that some women notice a few days after conception is implantation bleeding. Not all women experience this symptom, but those who do often confuse it with their period starting early. The bleeding is usually very light and is akin to spotting. This bleeding sometimes occurs as a result of the embryo burrowing into the uterine lining. If implantation occurs, it typically occurs between seven and ten days after conception.
The most reliable sign of pregnancy that many women recognize is a missed period. Some women may appear to have a period even after they are pregnant; however. In some cases, the pregnancy hormones may not yet be strong enough to suppress menstruation. Generally, this does not present any danger to the pregnancy. Women who have a 'false' period when they are actually pregnant may notice that there period is lighter and/or shorter in length, which can be a tip off to pregnancy as well.
Some other early signs of pregnancy include an increase in headaches and a darkening of the skin around the nipple area. Food cravings may also show up as well, although the exact types of foods that a woman craves can vary.
While none of these signs are proof positive of a pregnancy, several signs together could indicate a reason to suspect pregnancy and follow-up with a pregnancy test.
