Am I pregnant? The quick-to-know answer to that is through a pregnancy test, however, in the absence of it, their symptoms can be a tell-tale sign of possible pregnancy.
Just like every woman’s body is different, every woman experience symptom differently, we have compiled a list of general symptoms and questions including:
- When do the symptoms start?
- When should I take a pregnancy test?
- When to call the doctor?
Early pregnancy symptoms are similar to those you experience before and during your menstrual cycle which makes it difficult for a lot of women to tell apart if they are pregnant or not. It’s crucial to know the timeline of things, let’s understand.
When do the symptoms start?
Signs do not show the same for every woman, and it can even be hard for some to spot the symptoms early on, if you experience any of the following symptoms which are bothering you, talk with your doctor.
Pregnancy signs and symptoms
Cramping and spotting during early pregnancy
It is normal to have vaginal bleeding in the early stages of pregnancy which isn’t a problem, however, it can be a warning sign of ectopic pregnancy (when the fertilized egg implants itself outside the womb, on either of the fallopian tubes) or miscarriage.
A study has found that light bleeding and spotting are common symptoms in early pregnancy, although it is not similar to menstrual bleeding (1), heavy bleeding could be a cause for concern.
It is found that one in four women will experience pain and/or bleeding during their first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Unfortunately, the statistics also claim that half of these pregnancies may end in miscarriage which is unpreventable.
Every, 1 in 5-6 pregnancies are miscarriages. No treatment or medication can help prevent it.
However, a miscarriage doesn’t hinder your chances of carrying a pregnancy successfully to full term in the future.
Causes of bleeding and pain in early pregnancy
While several factors can be responsible for the cause of bleeding in early pregnancy such as:
- Implantation bleeding – this occurs when the fertilized egg has implanted itself on the uterus lining, which can cause some light bleeding and cramping pain.
- Bleeding from the cervix – this is a common occurrence that happens due to increased blood flow.
- Miscarriage.
- Ectopic pregnancy – When pregnancy takes place outside the uterus, in the fallopian tube (2)
- Molar pregnancy – it is a rare occurrence of abnormal development of the placenta. (3)
Sometimes it is difficult to diagnose the cause of the pain or bleeding, but the pregnancy may continue fine.
The missed period during early pregnancy
If you have regular period cycles every month, the most reliable and earliest sign of pregnancy would be missing a period.
While you may continue to experience light bleeding or spotting in the first few weeks of the pregnancy, this is referred to as implantation bleeding.
Raised body temperature during early pregnancy
The chances of women catching infections such as flu and colds increase during pregnancy as it weakens the immune system to ensure that the body does not reject the fetus.
You might experience changes in the respiratory system that can also make a pregnant woman more vulnerable to flu, which fever is a common symptom of.
When your body temperature rises to 100.4°F it is considered a symptom of fever (4), which also includes:
- shivering
- headache
- loss of appetite
- feeling sleepy or tired
- dehydration
- Sweating
Fevers are an indication of the body trying to fight off an infection. It is essential that you contact a doctor if you experience these symptoms during pregnancy. This will help the doctor rule out any underlying conditions and prevent any further complications that could affect the fetus.
Fatigue during early pregnancy
During early pregnancy fatigue is normal, you may feel extreme exhaustion during the first month. It is an early symptom of pregnancy and almost all women go through it in the first trimester.
While you may experience some ease in the second trimester, they come back in the third trimester. However, the symptoms vary from pregnancy to pregnancy.
Cause of pregnancy fatigue
The last 3 months can be exhausting, due to the extra stress of your belly may cause extreme fatigue. Your bladder will be pressurized by the baby the whole night and there will be discomfort in bed, this all adds up.
Although some fatigue can be caused by medical illnesses such as:
- Anemia (5)
- Infection
- Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (6)
- Fibromyalgia
- Gestational diabetes
- Underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
- Depression
Increased heart rate during early pregnancy
Pregnancy can stress your circulatory system and heart. Your blood volume tends to increase 30-50 percent during pregnancy to nourish the growing baby, it pumps more blood each minute causing your heart rate to increase.
A study has found that 100 bpm would be too low for pregnant women and might result in unnecessary investigations, while 120 bpm might be too high which again could cause false reassurance and the potential to diagnose the issue.
The count between these two levels can be a reasonable threshold to help with diagnosis.
Labor and delivery end up adding to the heart’s workload, there are blood flow and pressure changes during labor that are abrupt. It might take several weeks post-delivery for these stresses on the heart to return to their normal levels.
Early changes to breasts: Tingling, aching, growing
As per a study, breasts tend to become heavy, sore, or tingly as early as the first two weeks after conception. The nipples may become extremely sensitive and painful to touch. (7)
Your cup size might grow 1 or 2 sizes more which is normal during the first pregnancy, it begins early on and continues in the later stages too.
These changes occur due to the rising hormones in the body along with increased blood flow to the breast tissue. The discomfort may subside within a few weeks but will likely come back in the later stages of pregnancy.
Changes in mood during early pregnancy
There are more than a few reasons for you to experience mood swings during pregnancy that can be linked to sleep deprivation, hormones, and anxiety.
These meltdowns have scientific explanations. One of them is a change in hormone levels.
During the early days of gestation, women experience a veritable flood of progesterone and estrogen. These hormones can be a scary combo that would do a number on a woman’s state of mental health.
Estrogen is active in the region that regulates the mood in the brain. It is associated with irritability, anxiety, and depression.
Progesterone, on the other hand, helps loosen your joints and muscles and helps prevent contractions. That can cause one to experience, sluggishness, fatigue, and even sadness.
These hormones can cause a pregnant woman to have a meltdown now and then.
Frequent urination and incontinence during early pregnancy
Many pregnant women experience frequent urination which is common after pregnancy. The body changes to accommodate a growing baby throughout the pregnancy which can cause a lot of pressure on the bladder.
However, most of the problems with bladder control subside after pregnancy over time, if the problem persists you should talk with your health care giver about it to get understand if there are underlying issues.
Bloating and constipation during early pregnancy
Hormonal fluctuation can be one of the causes of bloating during pregnancy. Pregnancy hormones tend to relax the womb, and the digestive muscles causing slow digestion.
This can also lead to constipation which is a common struggle for pregnant women and could also cause bloating.
Bloating tends to develop during the first trimester (8), and gets worse during the third trimester as the fetus takes up more space causing the surrounding organs to press against the womb.
Morning sickness, nausea, and vomiting during early pregnancy
Often known as morning sickness, nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy are very common symptoms.
While it’s not bound to the morning you can experience it any time of the day or night or the whole day. However, the mornings are unpleasant and can affect your daily life. It does tend to clear up after 16 to 20 weeks of your pregnancy and has no harmful effects on the baby.
There are chances of developing a severe form of pregnancy sickness called hyperemesis gravid arum (9) that can be serious and you might get dehydrated and malnourished and need specialist treatments in the hospital.
Sometimes UTIs can also cause vomiting and nausea as it affects the bladder and spread to the kidneys.
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