10 Early Signs of Pregnancy that You Must Know
Pregnancy is a happiest moment of every woman’s life and it gives you a feeling of a complete woman.
The early sign of conception, the missed period can give you hope or you can confirm your pregnancy using the home pregnancy test kit.
As soon as you conceive, your body hormones change to the other states and work differently. Most time woman does not recognize those changings and she is unaware of the pregnancy condition.
If you pay attention towards the changes in your body, it would be easier for you to determine the pregnancy at its earlier stage. It will be helpful for you to see your doctor for a healthy pregnancy.
Here are the top 10 signs of pregnancy describe below:
1. Tender Breasts
After when you have conceived, the first symptom shown will be the tender, swollen and heavier breasts. They become sensitive to touch due to the changes in the levels of the estrogen and progesterone hormones. The feeling is just similar to the feelings before your periods come.
Tenderness of breast will appear after one week of conception. After the first trimester, discomfort takes place. You can wear solid, supportive bra to take relief from soreness under breasts.
Sometimes, nipples become more protruding rather than usual. Areolas appear darker and spotted. The tenderness of the breast usually happens during ovulation and right around the time of menstruation.
2. Dizziness
A little dizziness around the time of your expected period is a common symptom of pregnancy. The blood vessels become dilated due to the rise in hormone progesterone which lowers the blood pressure. This in turn leads to blood flow into your brain which temporarily causes dizziness.
According to the study published in 2010 in the Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology that the dysfunction of hormones in women during the time of pregnancy causes cochlear disorders that is leading to the dizziness and tinnitus (ringing in the ears).
The condition is most common in the first trimester but sometimes it occurs throughout the pregnancy. Women who are anemic are more inclined to dizziness than others. If you feel dizzy, do not quickly get up from sitting or lying down position. Take deep breaths as it will be helpful in alleviating this problem.
3. Fatigue and Tiredness
Your body goes through the variety of changes as you conceive. Progesterone level raises which makes you feel tired more easily, leaving you fatigued and exhausted frequently.
Low blood pressure and blood sugar level make you feel tired during pregnancy. The body creates placenta at the same time which is the vital support system for the fetus. This takes up your energy and makes you feel tired. Fatigue is the most common symptom in the first and third trimesters.
If you want to sleep a lot or feel fatigue, or experiencing some other symptoms, go for a pregnancy test. In case, if it comes positive, get plenty of rest and eat healthy foods that are rich in proteins and iron.
4. Increased Sensitivity to Smell
Pregnancy can make you sensitive to smells. Woman feels increased sensitivity in fact, before she realizes the other signs of pregnancy.
The ongoing hormonal changes in the estrogen level in the body affect the olfactory system due to which expectant mothers become more sensitive to the scents around them. That height of the smelling sensitivity leads to the food cravings and aversions at the short periods of time. It causes morning sickness or a metallic taste in the mouth.
5. Nausea
Another symptom associated with early pregnancy is the morning sickness.
According to the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, nausea and vomiting affect about 70 to 85 percent of pregnant women.
This problem probably starts as early as two weeks after conception. At the beginning of the second trimester, the feeling of nausea gradually go away. Not only have the changes in hormones, folic acid deficiency also trigger nausea during pregnancy.
To fight nausea, eat something starchy in the morning on an empty stomach which would be easy to digest the food. Also, drink water frequently to stay hydrated.
6. Mood Swings
You may feel usually weepy and emotional but at the same time you feel fresh and happy. That is the common sign of early pregnancy that it experiences the mood swings.
The neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers in the brain and it causes by the hormonal changes in the body.
Feeling little weepy and weird is also a premenstrual symptom. Women are normally moody by the nature so it is not a noticeable thing for them to have any subtle changes in mood. Frequent emotional changes are not an effective way to determine pregnancy, you should visit a doctor.
7. Cramping
Some women also feel cramps in the abdominal area which occur few days before your menstruation starts. This condition occurs when the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus and it leads to the uterine contractions which is the cause of cramping. This type of cramping is often for premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
The bloating and indigestion are the common cause of cramping which is surely a sign of pregnancy. You should minimize the cramps while walking or gentle stretching that helps a lot.
Whereas, menstrual cycle does not start during pregnancy, there is a good chance you may experience cramping in the pelvic area during the expected days of your periods.
An ultrasound at this stage or pregnancy test can be helpful in detecting the pregnancy.
8. Bloating
Feeling bloated following the same diet is also the sign of pregnancy that you are pregnant. Bloating is caused by the sudden changes in hormones in the body when the progesterone and estrogen levels rise. The endometrium (lining of the uterus) become thickened that makes you feel bloated.
Your digestive system slows down due to hormonal changes and it causes bloating as well. Some expectant mothers also complaint about abdominal gases and constipation.
Digestive problems are most common throughout the pregnancy so you should add more fiber into your diet, drinking more water and exercise regularly to help reduce the uncomfortable situations to a great extent.
9. Frequent Urination
During the pregnancy, as the bladder starts reacting to the body changes caused by a new pregnancy, you will definitely feel the frequent visits to your bathroom even though you may not have increased the fluid intake.
During pregnancy, the volume of the blood increases which is filtered by the kidneys, making the bladder feel full all the time as the uterus puts on the pressure over your bladder more quickly which results in more urination than normal. At the same time you may feel thirstier.
Frequent urination is common in all the stages of pregnancy. It reduces the space for the bladder while the uterus expands to allow the baby to develop and grow. Always visit your doctor if you experience any burning or stinging sensations during urination.
10. A Missed Period
Missing period is the first sign of early pregnancy that women are aware of. For most of the women who do not use birth control pills, they can experience a missed period which indicates the pregnancy.
In some cases, there is a small amount of bleeding or spotting at the time of your periods. This happens when the fertilized egg implants itself in the wall of your uterus, but sometimes, it may not. This kind of spotting is completely harmful.
Other reasons that can lead to missed periods include changes in diet, excessive stress, fluctuations in the body weight, hormonal changes in the body and some illness.
If your periods are late or absent, you should be sure about having the pregnancy test. The test is recommended to do 10 days after the due date of your menstrual period.
Additional Signs and Symptoms
- Some women secrete whitish, sticky or pale yellow mucus during the early days of the first trimester.
- The basal body temperature becomes elevated for some weeks after conception.
- Changes in hormones lead to the dizziness and headaches.
- Poor sleeping can lead to the back pain during the early stage of pregnancy.
- Appetite increases due to nausea and vomiting.
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