Pregnancy Symptoms: 5 Early Signs that You Might be Pregnant 

Pregnancy can be a different experience for every woman. While pregnancy tests are the most accurate ways to know if you’re pregnant, some other signs and symptoms may provide you a clue that you’re pregnant. Pregnancy symptoms may show up at different times in different people. Some women may not experience any early pregnancy symptoms, while others may suffer from them all. 

Here are some common symptoms that can be an indicator of pregnancy. These early symptoms can appear even before you miss your period.

Breast Changes

Swollen, tender breasts and sore, dark areolas are some of the breast changes you might experience in pregnancy. This is all because of the rapidly changing level of hormones progesterone and estrogen that work to prepare you for the lactation period.

You may also notice tiny bumps (known as Montgomery’s tubercles) growing around your areolas. These are to produce more oils to lubricate your nipples once you start breastfeeding your baby. 

Morning Sickness or Nausea

Do you get that queasy feeling as you wake up in the morning? Morning sickness is a common symptom of pregnancy where you have nausea and vomiting. Although the exact cause of morning sickness is unknown, it’s likely the pregnancy hormones that contribute to this symptom. Besides, some women may also experience food aversions where the sight, smell, or even the thought of certain food items (which you usually like) can turn your stomach. Symptoms like morning sickness and food aversions usually lessen at the 13th or 14th week of the pregnancy period for most women.

Fatigue

Fatigue is an early pregnancy symptom that almost every expecting mother experiences. When you get pregnant, a significant amount of energy goes into building the placenta to support your baby. And this results in pregnancy fatigue that makes you feel all tired and exhausted on most days. Here, to ease things up, make sure to take enough rest and include protein and iron-rich foods in your diet.

Missed Period

One of the most obvious and prompting symptoms of pregnancy is – a missed period. However, all missed or delayed periods are not a sign of pregnancy. Also, many women experience bleeding during pregnancy, which means you can be pregnant and still get your periods. But, if your period is delayed and pregnancy is a possibility, it’s best to take a pregnancy test, find out more. 

Implantation Bleeding

Implantation bleeding is a sign of an embryo implanting itself into the walls of the uterus, which results in light spotting accompanied by cramps. Unlike period blood, it is medium pink or light brown in color and lasts only a few hours or days. Some newly expecting mothers experience implantation bleeding anywhere from six to 12 days after conceiving. However, know that spotting can often be a blip before your usual period and not a sign of pregnancy. 

Takeaway:

While you watch out for these early signs of pregnancy, know that these can often be similar to the symptoms you experience right before or during your periods, and it can be hard to tell the difference. Hence, the only way to know if these symptoms are due to pregnancy or PMS is by taking a pregnancy test.