Common
Signs of Pregnancy
No
menstrual period
Although this is not proof positive, absence of your
menstrual cycle is a good indicator of pregnancy.
Fatigue
and sleepiness
For many women, fatigue is the first symptom of pregnancy.
If you suddenly find yourself needing an afternoon
nap, you could be pregnant.
Breast
changes
Along with fatigue, breast changes are possibly the
earliest sign of pregnancy. Breast
changes include fullness, tenderness,
sensitivity to touch, change in size, and darkening
of the areola.
Nausea
and vomiting
Nausea
and vomiting, also known as morning sickness,
is another symptom of pregnancy. Not all women experience
morning sickness and morning sickness may not occur
until two to four weeks after a missed period. Generally,
morning sickness resolves or improves in the second
trimester.
Frequent
urination
Once you become pregnant, your blood volume increases
and your kidneys increase in size. These factors can
lead to an increase in urination.
Fullness,
bloating, achiness in the abdominal area
Believe it or not for many women the symptoms of pregnancy
mimic the symptoms of PMS. If you are experiencing PMS
symptoms, don't rule out the possibility of pregnancy.
Some women will also complain of diarrhea or constipation
in pregnancy
Mood
swings and irritability
Hormonal changes combined with fatigue may cause mood
swings and irritability. If you find yourself incredibly
crabby this could be a sign of pregnancy. Keep in
mind, however, that crabbiness is also a sign of PMS.
Other
common signs of pregnancy include an increase in vaginal
secretions, aversion to certain foods or smells, weight
gain, and constipation.
Less
common signs of pregnancy
Implantation
bleeding
An estimated twenty percent of women will experience
bleeding when the fertilized egg implants into the
uterus. Implantation
bleeding is typically light in color
and amount and generally occurs six to ten days past
ovulation.
Headaches
For women that suffer from headaches, pregnancy usually
decreases the frequency of headaches. For some, however,
there will be a marked increase in the amount of headaches
during pregnancy.
