While it is best to have a professional look at your condition and check for vital signs of life, you can always watch out for early signs of pregnancy just to give you a hint of what your next season will be in the next nine months.
A Missed Period
One of the telltale signs of pregnancy is a missed period. This means that the egg that is produced in the ovary of a woman who is traveling through the fallopian tube to the uterus is met by a man’s sperm. This event is called fertilization. The egg then reaches the uterus and attaches to its lining to develop in the succeeding months.
But not all who experience a missed period, even for the first time, do get pregnant.
A lot of women have missed their monthly period before but they are not necessarily pregnant. According to an article published on WebMD, numerous causes point to an irregular period. They can be internal causes or external causes. Changes in bodily hormone levels for estrogen and progesterone can cause a missed period. An overactive thyroid can also affect the period of a woman. The thickening of the uterine lining may also cause a woman to have irregular periods.
Polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS may change the dates of the period. In a separate study conducted by the NCBI or National Center for Biotechnology Information for the US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health, around 12 percent to 21 percent of women are affected by PCOS. This risk of this condition increases as the weight of the woman increases.
Some of the external causes of irregular periods are as follows- switching from one birth control pill to another, too much exercise, and stress.
Knowing that a missed period does not constitute immediately an early sign of pregnancy. But if you are not experiencing any of the negative causes of a missed period, it is definitely an indication of pregnancy.
Increase in the Size of the Breast
The breasts of a pregnant woman changes in order to adapt to the baby whom she will nurture and care for. It has to develop so that it can produce enough milk to feed her baby. Some women do not experience this until the later part of pregnancy but some do get the changes very early. Women who are pregnant may notice that they have overly sensitive breasts. They also become swollen and painful over time. Some women may hurt their back because they feel that their breasts are getting heavier by the minute. Others will see that the areola, the skin around the nipple, will look darker than usual.
Again, another caveat for women. Breast changes do not only happen to pregnant women. Those who are undergoing PMS or premenstrual syndrome may also experience these so it just means that either the woman is pregnant or will have her menstrual period.
Cramps
Women often experience cramps prior to a menstrual period. But this can also indicate an early sign of pregnancy. When the sperm cell meets the egg cell in the fallopian tube, it immediately attaches to the uterus for protection. This event usually causes cramps to women as early signs of pre-menstruation. This kind of cramps will eventually subside over time. But if it continues throughout the pregnancy, you have to check on your current condition with an expert physician.
Morning Sickness
This is one of the most common telltale signs of pregnancy. Women who vomit and puke for no apparent reason is an indication of being pregnant. This is because women get a nauseating effect during pregnancy. Nausea occurs until the third month of pregnancy for some women. Rarely does the queasiness occur throughout the whole pregnancy.
Contrary to normal belief, morning sickness or nausea does not happen only in the morning. Having an unsettled stomach can occur at any time of the day or even at night. If pregnancy is not the cause of nausea, you need to see a doctor immediately for diagnosis.
Being tired
Being tired may be a very difficult way to tell whether a woman is pregnant or not. But as research and surveys back this up, pregnant women, especially in the early stages, feel unusually tired even if they have not done anything at all. You may be questioning your health or your age if this occurs. But for women who are pregnant, tiredness transpires because the body is working overtime in preparation for what is currently happening and what will happen in the future.
Some of these occurrences include an increase in the level of progesterone, expanding of the uterus, changing of blood pressure, and changing of the sugar in the blood.
Spotting
Spotting can be a dangerous event if it happens to a non-pregnant woman. This means that something is unusually happening inside her body. But for a woman who is pregnant, light bleeding or spotting will show that she is indeed pregnant.
Spotting occurs around twelve days after fertilization. This type of bleeding usually happens simultaneously with cramping. Along with the blood, women will also notice a somewhat thick milky discharge. This is caused by the expansion and development of the vagina. This discharge may only transpire during the early stages of pregnancy but this may also continuously ensue throughout the nine months.
Different Unexplainable Emotions
This sign may be mistaken for premenstrual syndrome wherein emotions shoot up and down without any explanation. This is because a roller-coaster of hormones is simultaneously developing inside the body. Changes in levels of these secretions will cause women to become sad, angry, or happy in an instant. Moods change from one moment to another. The shift in emotions without any regard for others may be a sign that you are pregnant.
Eating More Food
This is another signal that happens both for pregnant women and for those who are undergoing PMS or premenstrual syndrome. But for women in her early stage of pregnancy, food cravings occur because the hormonal levels are changing to provide a safe environment for the mother and the baby. This is not just a way to get even with their partners but is an event that really happens. These kinds of food cravings should be satisfied or else, the pregnant woman will show an unusual level of emotion of her own.
You also have to keep in mind that the opposite may happen. Pregnant women may crave some food but they may also get nauseated for smelling or eating another. If you desire or hate a particular kind of food, this may be an early sign of pregnancy.
Conclusion
If you are experiencing some or all of these signs and symptoms, it is always recommended for you to consult a trusted doctor. Some of the occurrences stated above may also be a sign of other conditions and sicknesses so you better consult a professional. It is advisable not to arrive at any conclusions just yet. You can also check your condition by using a pregnancy test or two just to make sure. If you are indeed pregnant, you may want to get a schedule for a checkup from the nearest OB-GYN.