Many women who are attuned to their body habits may immediately understand when they become pregnant. But for some women detecting whether they are pregnant requires some prior knowledge of the signs to look out for.
A missed period
Women usually have a fixed date for their menstrual cycle. Missing a period on a certain month or a delay in the period is one of the earliest signs of pregnancy. When women who have regular periods miss their period in a particular month, it can be an early symptom of pregnancy. However, many women feel that this missing a period or a delay in their period is deceptive. Many women experience irregular periods. If an individual is one who has irregularities in her periods, she should make a note of the date when she had her period the earlier month. Then she can compare it with the current month for raising any suspicion about her pregnancy.
Changes in breasts
Remarkable changes are noticed in the breasts of women who are pregnant in the first two or three months after they have conceived. Not only are there changes in the body, but the breasts also become swollen and tender. The breasts will become very tender to the touch like it did before when she had her periods. But this will not increase more. This pain is due to the various hormonal changes in your body during pregnancy. Once your body gets attuned with these changes, the pain will subside.
Darkened areolas
The skin around your nipples is known as areolas. Darkening of the areolas means that you have conceived. The surest sign that you have conceived is the small prominent bumps that you will notice in the areolas. This happens due to the changes in the hormonal levels during pregnancy. However this also may be an effect of an earlier pregnancy. Keep monitoring the color of your areolas and see how they change and how the size changes as well when you are sure that you are pregnant.
Morning sickness or nausea
Morning sickness or nausea is one of the earliest symptoms of pregnancy. Nausea is most common in the first three months of pregnancy. This can be triggered by any smell or by the sight of food. Nausea usually does not start until a few weeks after a woman has conceived. Nausea related with pregnancy does not limit itself in the morning and it can occur anytime. Not all women experience this.
Frequent urination
During pregnancy, the growing fetus in your body creates a tension with the capacity of the bladder. As a result, the bladder is not able to hold much urine. This starts around the fifth or eighth week of pregnancy. This lessened capacity of the bladder leads to frequent urination on the part of the individual. Another reason for this frequent urination is that the increase of blood level in your body leaves excess fluids in your body that you should get rid of. Hence, the frequency of urination increases.
Fatigue
If after waking up from sleep you feel exhausted every day, then it surely is a sign of pregnancy. High levels of the hormone progesterone can make you feel exhausted. This hormonal change in your body will make it seem like you have climbed mountains. But the work may be nothing so monumental for your high level of fatigue. Fatigue is an early symptom of early pregnancy.
Everything tastes different
A pregnant women’s palate has the feeling of an overloaded metallic taste, which is not good at all. Many women have found that they begin to dislike those foods which they had earlier loved prior to their pregnancy. When one notices that women eat the same food again and again, it is simply because that is the only food which they find tasty. It is a normal symptom among pregnant women. If an individual experiences a dislike for her favorite foods, she might want to ensure that she is pregnant.
Cravings for food
Food cravings can surely be a sign of your pregnancy. Many women develop desires for particular kinds of food during their pregnancy. This can range from a simple brownie ice cream to a hot dog to other fruits that the woman likes. However, many doctors feel that this may not be a sure symptom of your becoming pregnant. Often the body meets the lack of some nutrients by creating a craving in your mind so that you consume those foods and the body is replenished with nutrients. But if this craving is accompanied by some of the other symptoms, then one can be sure that she has conceived.
Implantation bleeding or cramping
One third of the women experience this symptom when they become pregnant. When a fertilized egg begins implanting itself into the lining of the uterus, called the endometrium, a very light bleeding occurs. This usually happens after six or eight days after ovulation. A few drops of blood on the underwear will be noticed by most women. Since this is old blood which goes out, the color may vary from dark brown to pinkish. This is because some mucus is mixed with this blood. Some women even experience cramping with implantation bleeding. Since the uterine wall is full of blood and tissues, the egg which begins to plant itself on the wall will cause some cramping effect on the individual.
A positive home pregnancy test
There are various home pregnancy test strips available at drug stores. If you have missed a period and feel that other symptoms are showing themselves, then you can take the home pregnancy test. An individual should put a drop of her urine on the strip. If the color turns to red, then you are not pregnant and you should consult a doctor for other problems that you are experiencing. But if you find that there is a blue line, then head straight to the doctor for confirming the good news.