| Stress, illness, or a change in exercise or diet can | | | | will be. |
| delay menstruation. Thus, its important to pay | | | | Important! |
| attention to other symptoms of early pregnancy: | | | | Seek medical help immediately if you suspect that |
| Tender, swollen breasts | | | | you are pregnant or are in early pregnancy and |
| Change in nipple color | | | | are experiencing any of these symptoms: |
| Spotting or a very light menstrual period | | | | Severe abdominal pain |
| Fatigue | | | | Spotting that lasts for more than one day |
| Nausea | | | | Blood clots or flesh-like tissue from your vagina |
| Feeling bloated | | | | Heavy bleeding that is soaking more than one |
| Increased frequency in urination | | | | sanitary pad an hour |
| Moodiness | | | | Foul smelling vaginal discharge |
| Headache | | | | Faintness or dizziness |
| If you have missed your period and are | | | | Painful urination |
| experiencing one or more of these symptoms, | | | | Severe vomiting |
| you may be pregnant. This is possible even if you | | | | The baby blues, as mentioned, is the most |
| were using birth control. The next step is either | | | | common. It occurs within the first week or so |
| to buy a home pregnancy test or contact your | | | | after delivery. The symptoms may include |
| doctor. | | | | irritability, tearfulness, anxiety, insomnia, loss of |
| Because of advances in testing, pregnancy can | | | | energy, decreased appetite, and difficulty |
| now be detected as early as four days before a | | | | concentrating. These problems usually resolve |
| missed period. These tests detect the hormone | | | | themselves in a couple of weeks, but should not |
| called human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) that is | | | | be ignored. The best way to deal with them is |
| produced by a developing placenta. The hormone | | | | through support, physical and emotional, by friends |
| is released into a pregnant womans urine and | | | | and family. |
| blood and is detected by a pregnancy test. | | | | Postpartum depression is obviously more serious |
| Home pregnancy tests are simple to use. Most | | | | in nature and requires medical attention. The |
| tests involve urinating on a chemically treated | | | | symptoms are similar to the blues, but last much |
| stick. If hCG is present, the chemicals in the stick | | | | longer. This mom can experience depression so |
| react to the hormone and produce a signal in the | | | | severe that its a challenge, to say the least, to |
| tests result window. The tests are extremely | | | | care for her new baby. It may have long term |
| accurate if they are used correctly. However, | | | | ramifications on the childs long term development. |
| they do occasionally give incorrect results if they | | | | It may occur anytime during the first six months. |
| are not used properly or if you are taking certain | | | | Experts note that two out of every three moms |
| medications. If a home test result is negative, but | | | | recover within a years time, but it has to be |
| your period doesnt start in a few days, repeat | | | | managed by a doctor. They say that if the baby |
| the test or ask your doctor to give you a test. If | | | | blues symptoms last longer than 2 weeks, the |
| a home test is positive, visit your doctor as soon | | | | mom truly needs to seek medical attention. |
| as possible. The sooner that you start your | | | | Treatment is available for this problem. Dont go |
| antenatal care, the better off you and your baby | | | | through this alone! |