Pregnancy symptoms differ from one woman to another. They also vary in frequency and intensity. Some women experience pregnancy symptoms very early, within the first week of conception while others may not notice until 1-2 months later. However, the sooner you detect some early signs of pregnancy, the sooner you can begin prenatal care. Make sure you find out more about oral health, diet, medical exams during pregnancy.
So…how early can you detect pregnancy?
Many urine pregnancy tests state that you can find out if you are pregnant within the first week. A blood test is more accurate but it still needs a couple of weeks at least after the conception in order to show valid results.
The signs appearing often in most women are:
- Menstruation stops: The very first symptom which will soon be realized by every pregnant woman is menstruation stopping. Whenever a woman realizes that she missed her monthly day of period, this becomes the indicator of pregnancy possibility.
- Swollen breast: Even though breasts can be swollen a few days before menstruation, some women notice swollen and sensitive breasts during their pregnancy.
- Weariness: Many women feel exhausted during the first trimester.
What were considered as easy and light tasks might become unbearable to complete and fatigue keeps making these women unable to do basic chores or go to their daily 8-hours job. - Faintness and/or Passing out: Some times pregnant women can experience faintness because the growing uterus puts pressure on the veins and reduces the blood circulation or because their blood sugar drops. Sometimes there is a combination of both reasons.
- Frequent urination: Another common symptom in the first and third trimester is frequent visits to the bathroom. The growing uterus puts pressure on the bladder and women feel the urge to go to the bathroom very often, even every half an hour.
- Vomiting: Vomiting is another frequent symptom of pregnancy. Most women experience that during the first trimester but for some others it could last until the labor. Queasiness usually occurs during the morning and rarely in the evenings. It is suggested to have a healthy diet with light regular healthy snacks throughout the day to avoid loading the stomach with too much food.
- Food craving: Weird food craving is often associated with being pregnant.
During pregnancy, you will experience a wide range of physical and emotional changes. Some of the early signs of pregnancy may be mild and subtle while other symptoms may be overwhelming. Don’t hesitate to ask for help on physical or emotional issues.
