Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Signs

Early pregnancy symptoms and signs can vary woman to woman. During your early days of pregnancy your body undergoes many changes and those changes affect your body and trigger the symptoms. Every woman experiences different pregnancy symptoms at different stages. On the other hand, some women may not experience any kind of symptom in their early stage of pregnancy. However, there are many symptoms which are common for many women.

Early Pregnancy Symptoms and Signs:

Missed Period

This is the most common pregnancy sign. Once conception happens your body stops ovulating which means your menstrual cycle has stopped but missed period may not be the sign of early pregnancy always. Sometimes, women can miss their period because of stress, excessive exercise, inappropriate dieting and hormonal imbalance. The other factors which may affect menstrual cycle are PCOD and PCOS conditions.

Frequent Urination

During pregnancy you might find yourself peeing more often than before. Because during this time blood in your body increases and for that reason your kidney starts to filter more fluid which ends up in frequent urination.

Tender and Swollen Breast

This is another common pregnancy symptom. After conception a woman’s body faces hormonal changes and for that reason the breasts may become swollen and tender but it’s temporary. You may also notice that the area around the nipple has begun to darken and enlarge and your breasts have got larger.

Fatigue

Feeling tired during the early stage of pregnancy is very normal, it happens because of increasing levels of Progesterone hormone. Just like other pregnancy symptoms fatigue also goes away in the 2nd trimester however sometimes women can experience this again in her 3rd trimester of pregnancy.

Nausea or Morning Sickness

This is one of the common early pregnancy symptoms and signs. Nausea can be felt at any time of the day during the early stage of pregnancy but not all women experience nausea. A woman can experience various levels of nausea. Some women feel nausea but never vomit. The reason behind morning sickness or nausea is still unknown. Pregnancy hormones might play a role in this. If you have persistent nausea and vomiting during pregnancy then you must consult with your doctor. This situation is called Hyperemesis Gravidarum. Also in conditions like severe nausea where you are unable to drink for more than 8 hours or eat for more than 24 hours you must seek for some medical care.

Heartburn

It’s a burning feeling in the chest and it’s a symptom of acid reflux which allows your stomach acid to travel up to the esophagus. It happens because of changes in hormone level during pregnancy and it is also a common pregnancy symptom.

What are Some Unusual Signs of Early Pregnancy?

Above mentioned are the common early pregnancy symptoms which most of the women experience but apart from those common symptoms there are some unusual symptoms as well which a few women can experience. These are -:

Cramping and Bleeding

Light bleeding or spotting is also one of the signs of early pregnancy. This is also called implantation bleeding because when an embryo is implanted to the uterus lining that time women may experience light bleeding or spotting. A study shows 25% of pregnant women experience slight bleeding or spotting. Light bleeding can be seen about 10 to 12 days after conception but it is common in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Light bleeding looks like a few drops of blood or brownish discharge from vagina.

This kind of early pregnancy cramping and bleeding are absolutely normal and nothing to worry about but if you face heavy bleeding during your early pregnancy days or during your 1st trimester then doctors’ consultation must be needed because it can be a sign of miscarriage.

Mood Swing

Mood swing is normal during pregnancy and it can stay throughout your pregnancy journey. This happens due to continuous hormonal changes in your body and makes you feel different emotions.

Food Aversions and Food Cravings

Eating foods can be complicated during early pregnancy. When you are pregnant you can become sensitive to some odors and foods, some foods may taste unpleasant to you. Like other pregnancy symptoms it happens due to hormonal changes. So, pregnancy food aversion is absolutely normal and it can also vanish at any point of time of your pregnancy period.

On the other hand, some women may crave for some foods and constantly feel hungry, these symptoms are called early pregnancy food cravings.

Nasal Congestion

Some women experience stuffy nose during early pregnancy because of increased hormonal levels and blood and because of that your mucous membrane can dry out and easily bleed.

Constipation

Due to hormonal changes your digestive system slows down during pregnancy which can lead you to constipation.

Bloating

Hormonal changes during pregnancy can make you feel bloated and lead you to passing gas more than usual.

Dizziness

Lightshades and dizziness are very common during early pregnancy. During this period apart from hormonal changes, sometimes blood pressure also drops and blood vessels can dilate which may lead you to feel dizziness.

Acne

Due to increased volume of hormones and blood some women can experience skin changes. Where some women get pregnancy glow on their skin and some get more pimples.

Sore Throat

Early pregnancy sore throat is completely normal. It happens due to hormonal changes in the woman’s body during the pregnancy. Women experience nasal congestion which can cause sore throat.

Different Types of Pregnancy Pains

Joint Pains in Early Pregnancy

Joint and leg pain usually starts at the 2nd or 3rd trimester as your growing baby starts gaining weight over time. Some women also feel joint and leg pain during early pregnancy.

Lower Back Pains During Early Pregnancy

Pain in the lower back during early pregnancy is normal as the ligaments of women’s bodies become softer and stretch to prepare your body for labor which can put a strain on your joints and lower back. This can cause lower back pain.

Pain in Pelvis During Early Pregnancy

Women can experience pelvic pain during early pregnancy. The pain can be sharp or crampy like menstrual cramps and can come and go periodically. Pelvic pain is normal, it happens due to the stretch in the ligaments.

Pain During Early Pregnancy in Stomach

Stomach pain is common in early pregnancy, it happens because your womb is expanding and your ligaments are stretching so much. Mild stomach pain is usually normal during early pregnancy but if you are feeling strong stomach pain then you should consult with your doctor.

Ways to Help Nausea in Early Pregnancy

When you get pregnant you often feel morning sickness or feeling of vomiting and nausea which is normal. It happens because of hormonal imbalance and dehydration. There are some natural ways which can help you feel better.

• Ginger is safe and effective in relieving nausea. You can take ginger tea, ginger lollipop or foods which contain ginger also helps to ease nausea.
• Eat foods which are high in protein and low in fat.
• Eat several small meals throughout the day to avoid an empty stomach.
• Eat easy to digest food like bananas, rice, toasts etc.
• Drink fluid frequently without caffeine.
• Avoid activity after eating.
• Do not mix and eat hot and cold foods together.
• Avoid foods and smells which make you feel nausea.
• If an odor bothers you keep peppermint or sliced lemon in your mouth.

Sometimes nausea also can be severe, in that case doctor’s consultation is required.

Final Thought

You may feel any of these early pregnancy symptoms and signs and this may vary from woman to woman. A Study shows a pregnant woman can feel all of the above mentioned common symptoms or may feel few of the symptoms or she may get pregnant without experiencing any of the early pregnancy symptoms. Still if you have missed your period and experiencing any of the above mentioned symptoms then it is better to take a home pregnancy test. If your test result comes positive then book an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible and get confirmed.

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