Early Signs of Pregnancy That Are Noticeable

A woman becomes pregnant when the egg is fertilized by a sperm. The sperm grows inside the uterus of a woman and over time develops into a baby. The doctor would assist in determining whether one is pregnant, there are certain early signs of pregnancy you may notice as well. The process from the date of fertilization to giving birth takes about 264 days. However, the obstetrician has its own way of marking pregnancy. Usually, pregnancy is marked from the first day of the last menstrual cycle that comes to 280 days/ 40 weeks. The only sure shot way of determining if a woman is pregnant is through ultrasound and pregnancy tests. However, if women monitor their body closely, they would be able to identify minimal but noticeable signs.

When to expect symptoms to start?

The first week of pregnancy is determined by the date of the last menstrual period. While calculating the expected delivery date, the first day of the last menstrual cycle is taken into consideration. It may sound absurd that a person is pregnant even when they actually are not but this is how the medical profession works. This is the reason that the first few weeks count towards the 40-week pregnancy when technically, the person isn't pregnant yet.

What are the symptoms/ Early Signs of Pregnancy?

All women do not experience the same flow of pregnancy symptoms. While some women experience no symptoms at all, a few others experience all of the symptoms. Here is a list of symptoms one may experience during pregnancy-

1. Missing Periods- Missing a period is one of the most reliable signs of pregnancy. However, sometimes, it may also be due to excessive stress, dieting, exercise and other factors that lead to irregular periods.
2. Frequent bathroom trips- A pregnant woman feels an excessive need to urinate and go to the bathroom. This usually happens when the embryo is implanted in the uterus. It starts producing pregnancy hormones known as human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) which trigger these frequent trips. This hormone usually triggers frequent urination.
3. Fatigue- Some of the early signs of pregnancy include feeling extremely tired which happens due to high levels of the hormone progesterone.
4. Morning Sickness- Morning sickness or nausea is a common phenomenon that women experience 2 weeks to 2 months after conception. The nauseating feeling happens not only during the day but at other times as well. Extreme levels of morning sickness may also include vomiting, malnutrition, and dehydration.
5. Sore Breasts- During pregnancy, the breasts become way too tender to touch. The nipples also darken and enlarge so accommodate for the growing child. This happens as the women's body is facing an increase in hormones.
6. Vaginal Spotting- This spotting phenomenon usually occurs around the time of the regular period. It may last during the duration of the regular period. It may be a brownish discharge or light spotting that one may notice.
7. Change in food behavior- Some women feel excessively hungry, others avoid food and some others quit food that they used to love earlier. It is all due to pregnancy that such symptoms may occur.
8. Metallic Taste in Mouth- Women complain that they feel some different taste in their mouth during the early stages of pregnancy.
9. Headaches and Dizziness- Headaches and dizziness is a common phenomenon that occurs due to hormonal changes in the blood volume.
10. Cramps- While cramping is common in pregnant in women, if it feels severe or is on one side, you must consult the doctor soon.
11. Bloating- Bloating usually starts between week 4 to 6 of the pregnancy and is visible on the hands, feet, and legs as they may seem swollen.
12. Mood Swings- With pregnancy comes lots of mood swings and mood changes that women have no explanation to. It usually aggravates as the number of weeks goes up.

Some of the other symptoms are-

1. Increased heart rate
2. Constipation
3. Varied changes in the breast structure
4. High Blood Pressure
5. Smell Sensitivity
6. Weight Gain
7. Heartburn
8. Pregnancy glow and acne

If you notice early signs of pregnancy, you need to visit a doctor right away as the fetus needs care immediately after conceiving. Only the doctor can tell about the health of a baby, wasting time isn't something you should do.