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Though it is important to note that, not all women will experience all of these symptoms or have varying symptoms of varying degree. It can be so that the same woman can have different types of symptoms in ensuing pregnancy than she had in previous pregnancies. It is important to detect pregnancy early, so that you can start on prenatal care as early as possible. The following are the most common signs of pregnancy in the first trimester:
Missed Period:A missed menstrual cycle is regarded as one of the early signs of pregnancy. But if you have irregular periods and there may be a problem as you may not notice this sign when they are late. A point to be noted is missed period should not account for you being pregnant as there are lots of other reasons that makes you miss a period, like illness, stress, sudden gain or loss of weight and also giving up birth control pills. Therefore a missing a period may not amount to be pregnancy until pregnancy tests which is usually required for confirmation. Though when going for test it is usually required that you have missed a period before. Also missed period being the most common sign, some women even claim that they ‘feel’ they are pregnant even before they miss a period.
Implantation bleeding: At times women experience light to heavy spotting i.e. vaginal bleeding for around 12 days after conception. This serves as an early sign for some women, known as Implantation bleeding. In implantation bleeding when the fertilized egg set into the lining of the blood vessels in uterus, which leads to breaking them and also leading to bit of bleeding or spotting along with some possible cramping which is similar to menstrual cramps. Here, color of the blood is light pink to brown most of the time, which will look different from regular period discharge. Also this bleeding will usually be a bit earlier than your regular periods.
Sensitive and Swollen Breasts: Pregnancy causes certain changes to the breasts; these changes that occur to breasts can provide signs of pregnancy. These changes can be seen and felt after as early as two weeks after conception. This happens due to hormonal changes, which makes breast more sensitive, fuller and heavier and these changes are easily noticeable and felt. Depending on women to women, breast may feel tingly or sore and skin around the nipples may become darker.
Nausea: Nausea is regarded as one of the classic symptoms of pregnancy. The basic terminology used for this is ‘morning sickness’, in which you feel, nauseate and it also may lead to vomiting at any time of the day, morning, noon, or night and not only in morning. This generally begins after as early as two weeks after conception. This squeakiness and nausea is because of raised levels of estrogen, which cause the stomach to empty more slowly and also it is noted that as there is heightened sense of smell in pregnant women, causing waves of nausea when they smell something strong, such as perfume, cigarette smoke and foods cooking.
Frequent urination: A frequent trip to bathroom, that is frequent urge to urinate along with other signs, is sign of pregnancy. Frequent urination happens because the uterus starts to expand and also applies pressure to the urinary bladder. There is greater need of the amount of blood and fluids in the body to nurture the fetus. All this causes the kidney to process more fluid and which then produces more urine. And as the baby grows this is likely to increase.
Constipation: As there is increased level of progesterone, food passes more slowly through intestines and thus causing constipation. Constipation is therefore another common early signs of pregnancy.
Aches and pains: Many women experience pains in back and in muscles of thighs and legs.
Headaches:Having headache is most common, as during early pregnancy, there are lots of hormonal changes in body and with increased blood circulation causing mild headaches.
Bloating of abdomen: Bloating may or may not happen, though it is also considered as an early sign of pregnancy. Bloating of abdomen happens as the hormonal changes in the body during early pregnancy, though this is frequently mistaken as PMS. Sign that is to be noted here is that if you experience bloating and also miss a period, then there is a good chance of you being pregnant. Also your clothes may feel tighter at waistline.
Raised basal body temperature: If you have been monitoring your basal body temperature i.e. the oral temperature taken just after you wake up in the morning, there you can notice an increase in which indicates you are pregnant.
Mood swings: Frequent mood swings, this can be seen and well observed by others also. Due to the sudden rush of hormones in the body you experience a mood swing, which is ranked as an early sign of pregnancy. In your mood swings you will be emotionally jumpy, at times jubilant, happy and elated and sometimes feeling low and irritated during this period.
Craving or aversion for food: During early pregnancy, there develops craving or aversion for food. you should note that you experience strong craving for some foods, something like you just want to have that food at any time of day and the urge is very strong. Also you might develop a strong aversion for some of the foods that you used to like before, like some spicy foods, your daily coffee, to meat, or at times to cheese. And all this is because you are pregnant and cravings or aversion for food is attributed to hormonal changes.
Fatigue: Fatigue is an early sign of pregnancy. Because of increased level of progesterone hormone causes sleepiness and tiredness. Due to pregnancy there is the lowering of blood pressure and increased blood production along with lower blood sugar levels during early pregnancy period which causes you to be tired and fatigued. Taking naps and small meals helps.
Faintness and dizziness: You experience light headedness, faintness and dizziness as blood vessels dilate and blood pressure drops, and also lowering of blood sugar in early pregnancy which may cause you to feel lightheaded or dizzy.
Signs of Pregnancy and Their Causes