| How can you tell if you are pregnant? There are | | | | experience the nausea and vomiting throughout |
| a number of signs and symptoms to watch for. | | | | the day. Morning sickness typically is worst during |
| Chances are you will only experience a portion of | | | | the first trimester, and most pregnant women will |
| the symptoms. Each pregnancy is different, and | | | | have their morning sickness symptoms lessen or |
| the same mom to be can experience different | | | | subside completely during the second or third |
| pregnancy signs each time she gets pregnant. | | | | trimester. |
| Pregnancy symptoms can begin for some | | | | Breast Changes |
| mothers immediately after conception. Some | | | | Breast tenderness usually begins around 3 to 4 |
| pregnancy signs require that you chart your cycle, | | | | weeks after conception. This can also be a sign of |
| noting your daily basal body temperature. | | | | your impending period. Usually the degree of |
| Implantation | | | | breast tenderness is much stronger with |
| While a rare minority will experience pregnancy | | | | pregnancy than with your period. You may also |
| symptoms sooner, typically the first pregnancy | | | | notice a slight tingling sensation. |
| signs occur when your baby implants around 8-10 | | | | Another change to your breasts early in |
| days after ovulation. Implantation causes an | | | | pregnancy is the appearance. Your areolas can |
| increase in progesterone levels, which can lead to | | | | become larger and darker. |
| higher temperatures giving you a tri-phasic chart. | | | | Fatigue |
| If you temperature remains high for fifteen or | | | | Fatigue can be an early sign of pregnancy. This |
| more days after ovulation, you may be pregnant. | | | | symptom is not just being a little tired; it is more |
| Some women will see a slight temperature drop | | | | like feeling totally wiped out. Your normal daily |
| at implantation. Implantation bleeding sometimes | | | | activities can send you to complete exhaustion. |
| occurs and can be pink, red, or brown in color. | | | | Body Discomforts |
| You may also have lower abdominal cramps. | | | | The physical and hormonal changes you |
| Positive Pregnancy Test | | | | experience with pregnancy can cause a long list of |
| The next and best sign that you are pregnant is a | | | | body changes that are annoying and |
| positive pregnancy test. Home pregnancy tests | | | | uncomfortable. You may experience headaches, |
| measure the pregnancy hormone hCG in your | | | | backaches, acne, constipation, heartburn, mood |
| urine. The most sensitive home pregnancy tests | | | | swings, constipation, diarrhea, bloating, indigestion, |
| will show a positive result when the hCG levels | | | | and abdominal cramps. |
| reach 20, which can happen as early as four days | | | | Food Cravings |
| before your period is due, or approximately 10 | | | | Food cravings are a very common pregnancy |
| days after ovulation. | | | | symptom. Approximately 85% of women will |
| False negatives are common when testing early | | | | experience some type of food craving during |
| with a home pregnancy test, so I recommend | | | | their pregnancy. |
| you wait to use one until eighteen days after | | | | Food Aversions |
| ovulation to avoid false negatives. The usual | | | | The other side of food cravings is food aversions. |
| recommendation is to wait until 14 days after | | | | They are also a very common sign of early |
| ovulation before testing. Blood serum pregnancy | | | | pregnancy. You may find that a favorite food |
| tests performed by your doctor are much more | | | | suddenly makes you feel nauseated just thinking |
| sensitive. They can detect hCG levels as low as | | | | about it. |
| five. If you continue to experience pregnancy | | | | Smell Aversions |
| symptoms, but your home pregnancy test | | | | A heightened sense of smell may cause some |
| continues to show negative, you can make an | | | | odors to seem stronger than normal when you |
| appointment with your doctor to confirm your | | | | are pregnant. Some smell aversions can cause |
| pregnancy. | | | | food aversions. |
| Missed Period | | | | Baby Movement |
| One of the most common pregnancy signs is a | | | | You can feel your baby moving as early as 16 |
| missed period. For women with a standard 28-day | | | | weeks, but for first-time mothers may not feel |
| cycle, their period is late if it has not arrived | | | | the baby moving until 20 weeks or more. |
| fifteen days after ovulation, or twenty-nine days | | | | Intuition |
| after the first day of their cycle. Elevated basal | | | | For some women, they just "feel" pregnant, even |
| body temperatures for 15 or more days will | | | | though they have had no other signs or |
| typically accompany the missed period. | | | | symptoms. A mother's intuition is frequently |
| Frequent Urination | | | | accurate. |
| Frequent urination is a very common early | | | | It is possible to experience some of the signs and |
| symptom of pregnancy. You may find yourself | | | | symptoms of pregnancy, yet still not be pregnant. |
| unable to be away from a bathroom for more | | | | It is important that both you and your baby get |
| than hour at a time, or waking up in the middle of | | | | under a doctor's care as early as possible. If you |
| the night to urinate. | | | | think you might be pregnant, treat your body as |
| Morning Sickness | | | | if you are pregnant until you know for sure. Take |
| Morning sickness can begin as early as 2 to 4 | | | | a home pregnancy test if you miss your period. If |
| weeks after conception. The term morning | | | | the test shows positive, then you are pregnant. |
| sickness is something of a misnomer, as you can | | | | Congratulations! |