Early Signs of Pregnancy: What You Should Be Looking Out For

The early signs of pregnancy will vary from person to person. Some people will feel certain changes in their bodies before they know they’re pregnant, while others will not notice any symptoms. But how do you know if you’re pregnant?

Well, the only way to know for sure is by taking a pregnancy test. But before you even get a home pregnancy test, you might get a heads-up in the form of early signs of pregnancy, including missing your period, morning sickness, breasts becoming tender, needing to pee more frequently, and feeling tired. 

However, these symptoms are quite similar to what you may experience right before you get your period, and some may even be caused by other factors like illness or stress. With this in mind, there are some signs and symptoms of pregnancy that usually point to the possibility of being pregnant.

In this post, we’ll outline some of the early signs of pregnancy. But do note that just because you notice them doesn’t necessarily mean you’re pregnant. 

What are the Common Signs of Pregnancy?

Different people will experience different signs and symptoms of pregnancy at different times. Some women may experience every symptom possible, while others experience very few signs until several weeks into their pregnancy. 

As a rule of thumb, you should avoid comparing your pregnancy to someone else’s as the symptoms can vary quite dramatically. Some of the early symptoms of pregnancy include the following:

Missing your Period

This might be stating the obvious but if your periods usually run like clockwork and you’ve missed one, it could be a sign of pregnancy. However, not all delayed or missed periods are caused by pregnancy. You can take most pregnancy tests from the first day you’ve missed your period. If you take contraception, missing your period is not a reliable way to know if you’re pregnant.  

Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is something that affects up to 70% of all pregnant women. The symptoms include vomiting, nausea, and loss of appetite. Many women who get morning sickness don’t just get the symptoms in the morning but throughout the day. 

Swollen, tender breasts

Early hormonal changes in pregnancy might make your breasts sore and sensitive. The swelling and soreness might feel like an exaggerated version of how your breasts may feel just before your period. The skin around your nipples might become darker and veins around your breast more obvious. 

Frequent urination

Pregnancy usually causes an increase in kidney efficiency and higher levels of body fluids. This causes your bladder to fill more frequently, meaning you will need to pee more often. This will continue as your pregnancy progresses.

Fatigue

Fatigue is a common early pregnancy symptom that many moms-to-be experience. You may start feeling unusually fatigued as soon as a week following conception. The fatigue is related to high levels of the progesterone hormone, which could make you feel sleepy. Morning sickness and taking regular bathroom breaks can add to your tiredness. 

What are the less common early signs of pregnancy?

Some pregnancy signs aren’t as common. As such, just like the others, they may or may not happen for you. Here are the less common signs of pregnancy:

Spotting

If you notice some spotting around the time your period is due, it could be from implantation bleeding. While it might seem like a bad sign, spotting can be a sign that implantation has occurred in the uterine lining. Implantation bleeding appears as small blood droplets or a brown vaginal discharge. About 1 in 4 women have light bleeding or spotting during the first trimester. 

Cramping

You may also feel mild, period-like cramps that may come and go over the course of several days. These cramps could be quite confusing as they could make it seem like your period is starting. However, you can tell them apart by the fact that implantation cramping will be less than a normal period, and will last only a day or two. 

Bloating

The hormonal changes that occur during early pregnancy may cause you to feel more bloated than normal. This will be similar to the feeling some women have just before their period. In many cases, the bloating is often accompanied by constipation. 

Mood swings

It’s quite common to have mood swings during pregnancy, including early pregnancy. This is due to hormonal changes, which can affect neurotransmitters. Everyone responds differently to these changes, with some women experiencing heightened emotions (good and bad), while others feel more anxious or depressed. 

How Early Can I See The Signs Of Pregnancy?

As already mentioned, the signs of pregnancy will be different for every woman, and sometimes every pregnancy. Some feel the first signs a week or two after conceiving, while others won’t notice anything different for several weeks. The first sign of pregnancy for most women is usually a missed period. This is often followed by feeling tired, nausea and vomiting, breast tenderness, and frequent urination. 

How Soon Can I Take A Pregnancy Test?

Pregnancy tests usually work by detecting the level of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) in urine. In early pregnancy, the levels of hCG usually double every 2 to 3 days. If you got a negative result but you’re still experiencing pregnancy symptoms, you can always test again in a few days. 

Some home pregnancy tests say they’re sensitive enough to give relatively accurate results as early as five days before when you would expect to have your period. However, you will be more likely to get an accurate result by waiting a day or two after your missed period. Testing too early may give you a false negative or an unclear faint line. 

If it turns out you are actually pregnant, waiting until the first day after your missed period will likely give you reliable results. However, if you wait just a few more days later, you are likely to get even more accurate results. At Pregnancy Resources of Abilene, we are able to get you the answers you need with a free pregnancy test and so much more!