Your period is late. You can’t help but wonder: Could I be pregnant? Common signs and symptoms that accompany pregnancy may help you determine if you are.
1. A missed period.
This is the most common indicator to women but some women don’t have regular periods or don’t keep track. Other symptoms can be clues…
2. Nausea
Nausea can be present with or without vomiting. Often called morning sickness, this symptom of pregnancy can hit any time of day or night. Morning sickness can begin as early as three weeks after conception. The pregnancy hormones seem to be the cause of nausea.
3. Fatigue (we’re talking total exhaustion!)
The rapid increase in progesterone levels contribute to feelings of tiredness.
4. Tender, Swollen Breasts
Your breasts may feel tender, sensitive or sore. They are also known to feel full and heavy.
5. Frequent Urination
During pregnancy, your bladder fills more quickly, which causes you to go more often. This symptom may start as early as six weeks.
6. Food Aversions or Cravings
You may turn your nose or even gag at some foods and smells that you never used to. Studies have shown cravings for a certain food is also common in about 90% of women.
7. Mood Swings
Emotions are often heightened, both positive and negative emotions. Some women also experience anxiety and/or depression. You may feel weepy more often.
8. Bloating
Hormonal changes may leave you with a bloated feeling. This is similar to what some women experience right before their period starts.
9. Slight Bleeding
Sometimes a small amount of spotting may occur. This is known as implantation bleeding; which happens when the fertilized egg attaches to the lining of the uterus, typically 10-14 days after conception. Implantation bleeding generally occurs about the time your menstrual period would.
10. Basal Body Temperature Remaining High
This is your body temperature when you first wake up. Basal body temperature increases soon after ovulation and remains at that level until the next period. Some women chart this temperature and if it remains elevated for more than two weeks it can be a sign of pregnancy.
11. Cramping
Some women report mild uterine cramping early on in pregnancy.
12. Darkening of areola
You may notice a change in the color of the area around nipple, as well as elevation of tiny glands around the areola.
13. Vaginal discoloration
Doctor may observe changes in color of vaginal and cervical tissue to bluish-violet color.
Many or most of these symptoms are common in the first trimester. Taking a pregnancy test can help you as well. Most at home pregnancy tests cannot detect pregnancy however until about a week after a missed period. So keep that in mind when you take the test. If it comes back negative you may want to test again in a week or so.
If you believe you are pregnant after reading these symptoms and having taken a home test, make an appointment with your healthcare provider or visit a local pregnancy help center for a medical quality test, which can detect levels of progesterone earlier. There could be many things going through your mind. Find someone you trust to call. We are available 24/7 at 573-883-1088.