Do you wonder if you could be pregnant? Without having a pregnancy test, it is impossible to be completely sure. Days before your first missed period, your body could send you signals, telling you that something is changing. Even if you are not trying to conceive, it is important to be aware of the first signals your body will send to let you know you are pregnant.
Early Symptoms of Pregnancy
There are several symptoms (although pregnancy is not a disease) that occur in the early stages of pregnancy, including:
- Missed period. If you are more than a few days late for the start of your menstrual cycle, there’s a chance that you could be pregnant. If your cycles are rather irregular it could be a false alarm.
- Nausea and/or vomiting. Morning sickness can rear its ugly head at any point, and frequently appears a month into a pregnancy. Nausea, sometimes accompanied by vomiting but not always, is a common symptom of pregnancy although not all women experience it.
- Increased frequency of urination. As the volume of blood that you have in your body increases during pregnancy, so will your need to urinate more frequently. The increase in blood volume also means that there’s an increase in the fluid that your kidneys need to process, causing a more trips to the washroom.
- Breasts that feel swollen and tender. The hormonal changes that your body experiences during pregnancy often causes your breasts to feel sore and swollen. This will subside to some degree as you move through the stages of your pregnancy.
- Extreme fatigue. Your body is producing increased levels of progesterone early in your pregnancy. You may feel the need to lie down and nap.
Other Noticeable Early Pregnancy Signs
- Light spotting. Although not all women experience this, you can experience some light spotting about 10 to 14 days after the egg is fertilized as it implants in the lining of your uterus.
- Mood changes. Your rapidly increasing hormone levels can cause wicked mood swings, making you emotional and prone to tears.
- The same bloating you experience the first few days of your period might make an appearance in response to your changing hormone levels.
- It is not at all uncommon for women to experience cramping during the first few weeks of pregnancy as your body adjusts the physical changes needed to grow a baby.
- Cravings or food aversions. Due to the hormonal fluctuations you experience during pregnancy, you may find that there some tastes and smells that are particularly off-putting.
- Nasal congestion? Yes, that’s right. The increase in hormone levels and blood volume can cause the mucosal lining of your sinuses to swell, become dry, and bleed.
Do These Symptoms Mean I’m Pregnant?
Well, maybe. Or maybe not. The only sure way to know if you are pregnant is to visit your OBGYN and have pregnancy test. Since many of these symptoms can occur for reasons unrelated to pregnancy, you may be experiencing the flu or the common cold. Conversely, it is possible for you to be pregnant and feel completely normal – and a positive pregnancy test could come as a surprise. Our team at Virginia Beach OBGYN is here to help, support, and empower women. Let us help you get a “yes” or “no” on pregnancy with a medical pregnancy test.
If you miss a period, experience these symptoms, and you think there is a possibility that you might be pregnant, take the time to schedule a visit with us at Virginia Beach OBGYN. Then you will know for sure.