 | Am I really Pregnant?First signs - symptoms of pregnancy |  |
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First signs - symptoms of pregnancy | ||
But, most women do not suspect they are pregnant until they miss a period, and a few do not suspect or believe they are pregnant for months after conception. I have missed a period, am I pregnant? | ||
Common signs of early pregnancy | ||
| The signs below are other early indicators of pregnancy, which may occur before a missed period. Many women do not notice these until later in pregnancy. You may experience all, some or none of these symptoms.  | ||
Morning Sickness | ||
| Morning sickness, that queasy feeling is not limited to mornings. Most pregnant women who experience morning sickness feel slightly nauseated at other times during the day as well. You may feel sick, and go off certain foods and smells. About half have vomiting, but very few have severe enough morning sickness to develop dehydration and malnutrition. Thought to be caused by a high level of the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in the blood, rapid stretching of the uterine muscles, excess acid in the stomach, and an enhanced sense of smell. Morning sickness usually starts two to eight weeks after conception. You can try several of these suggestions until you find the ones that work for you: 
Be sure to drink plenty of water, at least 8 glasses a day. If the suggestions above do not work for you, or you are unable to stop vomitting, or unable to keep fluids down, contact your healthcare provider. Other possible causes: food poisoning, tension, infection, other diseases. | ||
Frequent Trips to the Bathroom | ||
| Most pregnant women report having to go to the bathroom more often, even before missing a period. You may even have to get up during the night. This occurs after the embryo has implanted in the uterus and begins producing the pregnancy hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). This hormone triggers changes in muscle tone, also the growing uterus presses against the nearby bladder resulting in frequent urination. The increase in frequency of urination is often more pronounced in the first eight weeks. After this the uterus tends to move upwards, which relieves the pressure until later in pregnancy. It is common for some women to pass a small amount of urine when they laugh, sneeze or cough. Pelvic floor Exercise, also known as Kegel Exercise may help here. Other possible causes: urinary tract infection, diuretics, tension, diabetes, drinking excess fluid. | ||
Increased tiredness | ||
| Fatigue is also extremely normal and may be one of the first signs. Feeling tired is a common complaint. Naps suddenly become attractive, even to those who rarely take them. Caused by high levels of the hormone progesterone, which can have a sedation effect, and the body's increased use of energy as the fetus develops. This usually appears during the first trimester. The best way to deal with this is to give into it - rest as much as you can and go to bed earlier than usual. Other possible causes: tension, stress, depression, poor diet, flu, lack of exercise, poor sleep or lack of sleep. | ||
Tenderness in the breasts | ||
| If you are pregnant, your breasts will probably become increasingly tender to the touch, similar to the way they feel before your period, only more so. Swollen or tender breasts is a pregnancy symptom which may begin as early as 1 or 2 weeks after conception. Caused by an increased amount of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. Once your body grows accustomed to the increase in these hormones, the pain will subside. Breast tenderness is usually relieved after the eighth week. You may also notice your areolas darken. Changes in your breasts are often most dramatic when you are pregnant for the first time. Other possible causes: birth control pills, beginning of period, fibrocystic breast condition. | ||
Changes in taste or food craving | ||
 While you may not have a strong desire to eat pickles and ice cream, many women will feel cravings for certain foods when they are pregnant. You may go off coffee, alcohol and fried foods which is good. Try to resist cravings for high fat or sugary snacks as these are high in calories and low in nutrients.Good nutrition is important during pregnancy so try to maintain a balanced diet in spite of your cravings and aversions. Some pregnant women report a strange metallic taste in mouth. Caused by hormonal changes in the body, food cravings are usually experienced during the first trimester. This can last throughout your entire pregnancy. See - Healthy Beginnings for healthy living advice. Other possible causes: poor diet, stress, beginning of period. | ||
Slight bleeding or spotting or cramping | ||
| Some women experience a small amount of spotting or bleeding very early in pregnancy, about a week to 14 days after fertilization. Known as implantation bleeding, it happens when the fertilized egg first attaches to the lining of the uterus. This type of bleeding is usually a bit earlier, spottier and lighter in color than a usual period or a brownish discharge and doesn't last long. Because there is typically so little and it is before you would expect your period it would be normal to think you are just getting ready to start your period. But, if you are attempting to get pregnant and you know that you ovulated and you had sex around that time it might be a good indication that you are in fact pregnant. Implantation bleeding is fairly common with pregnancy. Twenty to thirty percent of women will have spotting during early pregnancy. If you have some light spotting before your period would normally start this is not something to worry about and may be a sign of pregnancy. Many women also experience cramping very early in pregnancy as the uterus begins to enlarge. These cramps are similar to menstrual cramps. Other possible causes: beginning of period, breakthrough bleeding from the pill. | ||
Elevated basal body temperature (BBT) | ||
| Your basal body temperature (BBT) is your oral temperature when you first wake up in the morning. This temperature spikes slightly soon after ovulation and remains at that level until your next period. If you've been charting your BBT to determine when you ovulate, its continued elevation for more than two weeks may mean you are pregnant. In fact, BBT stays elevated throughout your pregnancy. The proof is really in the pregnancy test. But you may suspect or hope that you are expecting, even before you miss a period. | ||
| Though many common early signs of pregnancy have been mentioned here, it is important to note that not everyone will experience these symptoms. Therefore do not let a lack of symptoms convince you are not pregnant, if you have reason to believe you might be. Instead use a home pregnancy test or see a doctor to verify your condition. If the early signs of pregnancy are present, and especially if you have verified that you are pregnant with a home pregnancy test, be sure to make an appointment with your doctor right away. The sooner your pregnancy is verified the sooner you can start taking care of yourself and plan for the future. | ||
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