Women who want to know if they are pregnant usually take pregnancy tests at home or blood tests at the doctor's office. If those tests are unavailable, there are early signs of pregnancy that women should watch out for.
Parenting.com compiled a list of the earliest signs of pregnancy. These signs can help women know if they are pregnant and help them prepare themselves physically, emotionally, and mentally.
One of the first signs of pregnancy is shortness of breath, which might continue all throughout the pregnancy period. This usually occurs because some part of your oxygen supply is going to the fetus.
Sore breasts are also early signs of pregnancy. This is caused by your milk glands' preparation for lactation.
Another early sign is fatigue. This is due to your body's changes, especially with the hormone production.
The fourth early sign of pregnancy is morning sickness. Morning sickness refers to vomiting and nausea, especially during the morning. According to WebMD, this might be caused by the increased production of human chorionic gonadotropin or HCG.
The next sign on the list is frequent urination. This is caused by the increased pressure on the bladder from the fetus.
Headaches are also very common during the early part of pregnancy. Taking acetaminophen for the pain is recommended.
Backache is also an early sign of pregnancy. This is caused by weight gain and a change in the body's center of gravity because of the fetus inside the womb.
The next early sign of pregnancy on the list is cramping. This might be happening because of the stretching of the uterus.
Food cravings and food aversions are also common signs of pregnancy. What To Expect says that this might be caused by changes in hormone levels.
Constipation and bloating are also early signs of pregnancy. This is caused by an extra amount of progesterone in the body.
Mood swings are also fairly common for pregnant women as this is caused by abrupt changes in hormones.
The next early sign of pregnancy is spotting. Spotting is lighter and arrives earlier compared to menstrual period bleeding.
Missing your period is also one of the early signs of pregnancy. It is actually the most telling sign since some of the other signs mentioned earlier can also be symptoms of premenstrual syndrome or PMS.
Experiencing any of these? Then, you might want to see your OB-GYN to know the good news. You're one lucky one!
