If you have been trying to get pregnant, you may be looking for pregnancy signs to help you know if you are expecting. Missing your period is often the first sign of pregnancy women experience, but some experience other symptoms. While it can be exciting to experience a pregnancy symptom, other reasons may be the cause of why you feel the way you do.
Implantation Bleeding
According the American Pregnancy Association (APA), one of the first early signs of pregnancy may be implantation bleeding. If this occurs, it will usually happen within six to 12 days of conception. The bleeding is not as heavy as you experience during a normal menstrual period. Implantation may also cause some cramping.
Morning Sickness
One noticeable sign of pregnancy is morning sickness or nausea. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports most pregnant women will experience some type of morning sickness. In approximately one-third of pregnant women, morning sickness will include vomiting. Despite its name, the sick feeling can occur at any point in the day. Most women experience morning sickness in the first month of their pregnancies, with most cases clearing up by the second trimester.
Breast Tenderness
Another change you may experience in the early weeks of your pregnancy is breast tenderness, according to Cedars-Sinai. The hormonal changes in your body caused by the embryo can affect your breast tissues. They may feel hot to the touch, sore or swollen. The skin around the areolas may darken as well.
Aches
Aside from affecting breast tissue, hormonal changes may trigger aches. The Mayo Clinic reports 1 to 2 percent of pregnant women may experience their first migraine headache during pregnancy. This might be the result of an increase in estrogen. Backache, especially in the lower back, is another common ache during pregnancy. It can begin in the first weeks following conception. Aches can be a normal symptom of other conditions, but if you think you may be pregnant, check with your doctor about which pain medications you can take. Some may cause unknown birth defects.
Fatigue
Feeling tired or exhausted can be a symptom of pregnancy, and it can start affecting your body in the early weeks after conception. The March of Dimes reports an increase in the hormone progesterone, which your body makes during pregnancy, may cause the symptom. Progesterone tends to make you feel sluggish. The increase in blood flow, which makes your organs work harder, as the embryo begins to develop, may add to your fatigue.
Photo Credit
- Baby Shoe image by Pim van Gerwen from Fotolia.com
