By Nurse Claris
A missed period is by far the most common indicator that you might be pregnant. Still, there are many other signs you should be watching out for. Here’s our list of early pregnancy symptoms.
This sounds much scarier than it actually is. Implantation bleeding is bleeding that is lighter than a period and occurs as the embryo burrows itself in the walls of your uterus. You can typically expect this around week 4 of your pregnancy. By the way, here’s a good resource for how the pregnancy weeks are counted.
Hormonal changes in your body can cause mood swings. Some may experience heightened emotions, while others may feel more depressed or anxious. Bloating and cramping may also occur, similar to the feeling some women have just before their period.
You may experience general soreness in your breasts. This can start as early as week 4 and by week 6, you may also notice changes in the size and shape as well. Your nipples and areola may darken or protrude more than normal.
This one can be tricky since not every woman has a regular cycle. That said, if you start to feel a number of the other symptoms on this list and you’re wondering why you haven’t gotten your period yet, you may very well be pregnant.
Since many of these early pregnancy symptoms mimic symptoms of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS), it’s recommended that you take a home pregnancy test or be seen by a healthcare provider.
Usually by week 5, you may experience the need to urinate more often. This condition is partly caused by (can you guess?) hormonal changes that result in increased blood flow through your kidneys.
Do you feel sluggish and exhausted? It’s possible that increasing levels of progesterone during early pregnancy is contributing to all that fatigue. Having to urinate frequently throughout the night might have something to do with this, too.
Some women experience nausea or sensitivity to smells around the 5 week mark (but it can occur earlier or later). If you’re feeling nauseous and starting to vomit in addition to some of the other symptoms on this list, chances are pretty good that you’re pregnant.
By week 6, you may begin to experience new food cravings, heartburn, indigestion, or gas. If you haven’t made an appointment with a healthcare provider like Claris Health, now is a good time to schedule a test and an ultrasound.
Source Information:
Pregnancy Symptoms—Early Signs of Pregnancy. American Pregnancy Association. http://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/early-pregnancy-symptoms. Accessed July 28, 2017.
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