First Signs Of Pregnancy

A missed period is, for many women, the first sign that they may be pregnant. There are, however, other tell tale signs which can be clues to pregnancy. You may experience some, all or none of the following:

Frequent need to urinate. Hormonal changes in the body lead to an increase in the amount of blood that the kidneys need to process. This symptom typically starts around the sixth week of the first trimester.

Sore breasts. Breasts and or nipples can become tender. There can be tingling, a darkening of the areola, more prominent veins or more prominent bumps around the nipple (known as 'Montgomery's tubercules'). The soreness is said to be similar to the pre period soreness some women get, only more so.

Fatigue. High levels of progesterone hormone and other changes the body undergoes in preparation for a baby lead to extreme tiredness. Although it is not a sure-fire sign by itself, any such tiredness could be an indication of pregnancy.

Nausea. Morning sickness is not necessarily confined to just the mornings, and while it usually occurs from four weeks into a pregnancy, it is not unheard of for women to feel nauseous just a few days after conception.

Dizziness. Although less common than some other signs of early pregnancy, some women do experience light headedness or even fainting.

A metallic taste in the mouth. There is no universally agreed reason why some women experience this. Theories include the use of prenatal vitamins, and some naturalists’ speculation that it is lymph glands releasing toxins from the body which could otherwise affect the baby.

Spotting. Some light implantation spotting can occur around 8 days after ovulation. This could also occur around the time that your period is due.

Food cravings. While the craving of certain foods by itself is no indication of pregnancy, coupled with other symptoms it can help to steer the diagnosis that way.
Going off certain foods. Things that you normally like, e.g. fatty foods or coffee may lose their appeal.

Abdominal discomfort. Some pain around the time that your period would be due, and similar in intensity, can be a sign that you are pregnant. Unusually severe pain could be an indication of something more serious and may require medical attention.
An increase in vaginal discharge. It is not uncommon to have an increase in leukorrhea, the non irritating, mild smelling, clear or whitish looking vaginal emission during early pregnancy. Any irritating or foul smelling discharge could be a sign of infection and medical advice should be sought.

Sense of smell becomes heightened. Odours such as coffee, perfume or cigarette smoke may be nausea inducing.

Headache. Tension headaches (the most common kind) are not at all unusual during the first trimester. Paracetamol is said to be safe to take. Aspirin is not. Any severe headaches or migraines that may require other treatments should be discussed with a doctor to see if the benefits of medication outweigh any risks.

Constipation. This could be a sign of early pregnancy. Increased levels of progesterone in the system can make the bowels less efficient, which may lead to constipation.

Basal body temperature remains high. Some people trying for a baby will use certain techniques to monitor ovulation. Women who use basal body thermometer readings and check their cervical mucus consistency over time, will notice changes when they become pregnant.

Missed Period

As previously stated, missing a period is a sign of pregnancy. It is, however, not a guarantee of pregnancy. Other factors may be responsible for this happening. It could be caused by surgery, shock, illness or stress brought on by any number of things. Women who have come off the pill may have irregular periods or even not menstruate at all for some considerable time afterwards, while some women have period like bleeding throughout some of, or even their entire pregnancy.

Pregnancy Tests

By far and away the best method of knowing you are pregnant is by a pregnancy test. These can be done by a GP or family planning clinic, or by using home pregnancy testing kits available from pharmacists. Such tests work by testing urine or blood samples for the presence of HCG (Human Chorionic Gonadotropin), a hormone that the body begins producing on implantation of the embryo. Pregnancy testing can be done from two to three weeks after conception.

Home pregnancy testing kits are said to be 97% effective if used properly. It is therefore vitally important to adhere to the instructions. Factors such as expiry date, contamination issues, incorrect waiting time and room temperature differences can affect the results. Most errors result in a false negative outcome, so if you have any doubts, it may be wise to test again later, especially if your period is still late. If a positive result is transformed in a later test to a negative result, this could be an indication that an early miscarriage has taken place.

On receiving a positive result, inform your doctor. Although these days they rarely confirm your test with their own, they may suggest an ultrasound dating scan if you are unsure of your dates. The due date can always be established further on in the pregnancy however. If you are more sure of the date of your last period then adding 280 days (in the case of a 28 day cycle) to this, should give you an estimated due date.