What Are Some Early Signs of Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a wonderful time in a woman’s life. If you suspect that you are pregnant and you are feeling slightly nauseous, then you might want to know some of the early signs of pregnancy.

Cramping is usually one of the first signs that women experiences, but there are others that you should look out for. Keep reading to find out what are some early signs of pregnancy.

Some pregnant women who experience cramping in the first trimester usually panic because they think that it’s a sign of miscarriage.

However, you have nothing to worry about if you are having this symptom because cramping goes hand in hand with the early signs of pregnancy. In fact, it is a common occurrence and it’s normal to have cramps during pregnancy.

It is triggered when a fertilized embryo is implanted inside the inner uterine wall. The cramping also indicates that the uterus is making preparations to carry the embryo.

Let’ take a look at some of the other possible signs and symptoms that you can experience in the early stages of pregnancy.

What Are Some Early Signs of Pregnancy

Like some women, you might experience what is called implantation bleeding. This will happen when the embryo is embedded in the uterine wall. You can know this if you see a pinkish discharge that is called spotting.

Increase in basal body temperature is another early sign of pregnancy. The basal body temperature usually increases after ovulation, and its persist rise for more than two weeks indicates pregnancy.

Swollen and tender breasts are some of the earliest pregnancy signs. You could experience a sore feeling around the areola.

A feeling of nausea that is accompanied by vomiting is another common sign. If you are pregnant, you might also notice that you have a craving or an aversion for certain foods.

Dizziness and fainting spells are common occurrences as well. You experience this when the blood vessels dilate to cause a drop in your blood pressure. These symptoms are also accompanied by mild to a severe headache at times.

Constipation is another early sign and this is caused by increased levels of estrogen [1][2][3]. This hormonal increase causes food to pass through the large intestine slowly after digestion.

Bear in mind that intensive cramping can be one of the early signs as well as an indication that you have ectopic pregnancy.

This type of pregnancy occurs when the fetus is growing outside of the uterus. If this is the case, you have to pay attention to the changes and consult your doctor to avoid unwanted complications.

Shortness of breath may be something you’ll experience, even if you are fairly athletic and energetic.

• Due to the increasing size of the uterus, the diaphragm – a respiratory muscle- cannot move downward to help fill the lungs with air.
• Progesterone is a respiratory stimulant, causing breathing to become faster.
• The hypervolemia increases the cardiac load in a pregnant woman, causing her to feel short of breath during later pregnancy. As your baby grows, being short of breath will become a common occurrence.

Fatigue may happen anytime during pregnancy, but it is most common during the early stages, what with your progesterone levels shooting through the roof. This causes you to feel sleepy and to have a high body temperature.

Frequent urination and incontinence are also signs of pregnancy. This is due to the increased amount of blood that your body pumps, causing your kidney to work twice as hard in dealing with fluids. The result is more fluid in your bladder that you need to get rid of. In some cases, you may even leak accidentally.

Breast changes are also tell-tale signs that you might be pregnant. Hormone changes can cause tenderness or swelling between the 4th and 6th week. Around the 11th week, your breast could be bigger. The area around your nipple may also become darker in color.

An aching head that results from changes in hormone is a sure sign that you’re pregnant. If you suspect that this is the case, remember to take PG-safe acetaminophen to deal with the pain instead of ibuprofen.

If your lower back is a little sore more frequently than before, it is possible that you are pregnant and the backache is a result of your ligaments loosening.

During pregnancy, progesterone levels are ordinarily high, which is necessary for the internal structures of your body to increase in size, including the ureters. It is also responsible for transforming your uterus to accommodate a full-term baby.

Food cravings or aversions and sensitivity to certain smells may also happen, especially during the early stages of pregnancy. Although there is little scientific evidence to back food aversions or smell sensitivity during the first trimester, research showed that there is a relationship between smells and pregnancy.

Heartburn may also occur during early pregnancy with hormones causing the valve between your esophagus and stomach to relax and allow acid to reflux back into the lower esophagus.

Since not all antacids are safe for pregnant women, you should talk to your doctor if you suspect your symptoms are due to changes in hormones.

Although some pregnancy symptoms may overlap with menstrual signs, you should try to differentiate one from the other, so you don’t put yourself and your baby at risk.

After knowing some early signs of pregnancy, you can start to eat healthy foods, take medications on time, get plenty of rest and visit your gynecologist to get a routine checkup to ensure a safe and smooth pregnancy.

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3823955/
2. https://www.saragottfriedmd.com/constipated-get-your-hormones-moving/
3. https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/the-connection-between-estrogen-and-constipation