Early Signs of Pregnancy

There a many early signs of pregnancy, most of which, when taken in isolation could occur as a result of other health or lifestyle factors. Pregnant women will not necessarily experience all or even any of the symptoms and, on the rare occasion, women will even continue to have a period throughout their pregnancy, although a missed period is the main telltale sign. The early signs of pregnancy detailed below are meant as a guide, the list is not a complete but an indication of the more common and most obvious signs. If you believe you are pregnant make sure you make an appointment with a qualified practitioner.

· It is estimated that approximately 25% of pregnant women experience bleeding (known as implantation bleeding) very early on in a pregnancy. This bleeding is one of the early signs of pregnancy with a small amount of spotting or bleeding usually occurring around 5 – 12 days after fertilization. It is known as implantation bleeding as it is thought to happen as a result of the fertilized egg attaching itself to the lining of the uterus. An implantation bleed usually occurs ahead of your normal menstrual cycle, is spottier than a normal period, don’t last very long (usually a day or two, but varies from woman to woman) and tends to be light in colour (pink or brown spotting).

· Tender swollen breasts, like implantation bleeding, is one of the very early signs of pregnancy. It is caused by the increased levels of hormones and may begin as early as 1 – 2 weeks following conception. The discomfort tends to subside after the first trimester once the body has adjusted and become attuned to the hormonal changes.

· Fatigue is one of the early signs of pregnancy that can occur as early as the first week following conception and is thought to be as a result of hormonal changes. It is not unusual for women to be able to sleep for 10 - 12 hours only to find that they are just as tired as when they went to bed. Once the body has adjusted to the hormonal and metabolic changes that occur at the start of a pregnancy women’s energy levels tend to increase.

· A missed period can be a dead giveaway as an early sign of pregnancy especially if you have been trying to conceive and normally enjoy a regular menstrual cycle. A missed or late period can however occur as a result of other factors such as stress, hormonal problems or excessive weight gain or loss.

· The constant need to urinate is one of the most annoying signs of pregnancy. The problem will usually occur around the 6-8 week mark and is likely to worsen as your pregnancy progresses. Again, taken in isolation and without any other early signs of pregnancy frequent urination can also occur as a result of such things as diabetes, and increase in fluid intake or a urinary infection.

· Food cravings are one of the well known signs which can last throughout the whole term of the pregnancy.

· Morning sickness usually kicks in about a month after conception with some women suffering earlier, some not just in the mornings and others avoiding this unpleasant symptom altogether. Luckily the nausea and vomiting generally stops after a couple of months or so as women head into the second trimester. The most unfortunate mothers to be can feel sick throughout most of the pregnancy.

If you believe you may be pregnant then take a test and if the result is positive make an appointment to see your practitioner. Remember, follow the instructions carefully for the particular test you choose to use, take note of the best time to test and be aware that you can get a false negative so it is always worth doing the test again a few days later