Early Pregnancy Symptoms, Am I Pregnant?

Understanding the signs and symptoms of pregnancy is important because each symptom might be related to something other than pregnancy. You might experience signs or symptoms of pregnancy inside a week of conception. However, it's possible you may not experience any symptoms for some weeks.

What follows is a description of some of the most common early symptoms of pregnancy. You need to know that these symptoms may be caused by other things besides being pregnant. Therefore the fact that you notice some of these symptoms does not always mean you are pregnant. The only way to tell without a doubt is with a pregnancy test.

Swollen/Tender Breasts

Swollen or tender breasts is really a pregnancy symptom which may begin as early as 1-2 weeks after conception. Women may notice changes within their breasts; they may be tender to touch, sore, or swollen.

A Missed or Abnormal Period

Some women's periods are just like clockwork -- they arrive every 28 days, rain or shine. If you be one of these lucky ladies, it may seem easier to notice if your monthly miracle doesn't arrive, which can be one of the first predictors of pregnancy. However, many women during early pregnancy experience spotting or light vaginal bleeding that lasts a few days and may be confused with a period.

Headaches

Headaches can be an early manifestation of pregnancy, due to a number of factors. Hormones usually bring about headaches during early pregnancy, but stress, exhaustion, and all sorts of physical changes beginning in a woman's body, can also add to that formula for a headache.

Abdominal bloating

Hormonal changes in early pregnancy could leave you feeling bloated, similar to the feeling some women have recently before their period. That's why your clothes may feel more snug than normal at the waistline, even early on when your uterus continues to be quite small.

Mood swings

During pregnancy your hormone levels are surging, as the amount of oestrogen and progesterone in your blood increases. These increased hormone levels can affect your mood. You might feel heightened emotions, both good and bad, or you will just feel more depressed or anxious than normal. Read more about mood swings. If you've been feeling really upset or considering harming yourself, speak to your doctor immediately.

Tender or Swollen Breasts

Women can thank the soaring amounts of hormones for this early-pregnancy symptom. Many frequently are convinced that their breasts feel more tender, heavy or full as early like a couple of weeks after conception. This can be wrongly identified as premenstrual breast sensitivity. It doesn't help that your old bra starts feeling just like a cross between a corset and a straitjacket.

Nausea/Morning Sickness

This well-known pregnancy symptom will often show up between 2-8 weeks after conception. Some women are fortunate not to deal with morning sickness whatsoever, while others will feel nauseous throughout many of their pregnancy. If you are experiencing morning sickness whatsoever, take a look at our articles on morning sickness to understand how to manage it better.

Fatigue

Feeling tired all of a sudden? No, make that exhausted. Nobody knows for sure what causes early pregnancy fatigue, but it is possible that rapidly increasing levels of the hormone progesterone are adding to your sleepiness. Of course, morning sickness and achieving to urinate frequently during the night time can add to your sluggishness, too.