How To Know If You Are Pregnant - The 18 Things You Should Know About Early Pregnancy Signs

1. Nausea or morning sickness: Morning sickness9. Lower back pain: As your baby grows in size,
are the nauseating feelings and vomiting youthe additional weight pulls your spine to the front
experience during pregnancy. This occurs inof your body and causes you to experience
approximately 50% to 95% of all pregnantsome back pain every now and then.
women as early as the first week of pregnancy.10. Constipation: Hormonal changes during
Morning sickness probably got it's name due topregnancy slows down the movement of food
the fact that most of the nauseating symptomsthrough your digestive system which results in
start in the morning right after you get out ofconstipation. This could be a sign of pregnancy if
bed when your blood sugar levels are low.you do not experience constipation frequently.
However, it may happen at any time of the day.11. Frequent urination: The growing uterus presses
2. Headaches: If you already had a headacheonto the bladder and causes you to have more
problem before pregnancy, be prepared for it tofrequent urges to urinate than usual.
worsen during pregnancy. The changes in your12. High Basal Body Temperature (BBT): If your
body's hormone levels during pregnancy is theBTT stays in the high range for 18 days or more,
main cause of headaches. Other conditions likeit is very likely that you are pregnant.
lack of sleep, poor posture, stress, dehydration13. Cramping: The growing uterus stretches to
and low blood sugar levels may also worsen ofaccommodate your new baby and this causes
cause headaches.menstrual-like cramps to occur.
3. Dizziness and fainting spells: Due to the lowered14. Spotting: Slight bleeding occurs when the
blood pressure in your body during pregnancy,fertilized egg begins to implant itself into the
blood flow to the brain may cause dizziness anduterus any time from 3 to 6 days after
fainting spells in severe cases.fertilization. A lot of women confuse this with their
4. Mood swings: The physical and hormonalperiod but this happens usually before the period
changes you experience during pregnancy willstarts and the discharge is lighter than normal.
definitely have a negative impact on your state of15. Darkening of the areolas: Your areolas could
mind and cause you to feel grumpy. It takesdarken and increase in diameter during pregnancy.
some time to settle into your new life byThis is a natural process by which your breasts
adjusting to all the changes in your body andare preparing themselves to produce milk for
lifestyle.your baby.
5. Fatigue: If you feel sleppy and experience some16. Tender or swollen breasts: A lot of women
or all of the symptoms mentioned in this article,experience sore, swollen, tingly or tender breasts
you have a good chance of being pregnant.during pregnancy due to the increasing hormones
Hormonal changes are usually the main cause ofthat are used to prepare a woman for
fatigue followed by the additional weight you havebreastfeeding. This feels like a bigger version of
to carry around.how your breast feels before your period.
6. Food cravings: Craving for food that you17. Missed periods: If you have been sexually
normally would not eat could be a sign that youactive and you missed a period, it is a good
are pregnant. Usually, women report cravings forindication that are you are pregnant. Further tests
salty and sweet food during pregnancy whilewill be required to confirm if your suspicions are
others report a abnormal desire for spicy or fattyvalid.
food.18. Positive pregnancy tests: Pregnancy tests like
7. Weight gain and bloating: The combination ofurine and blood tests are a good way to find out
your baby's growth and your increased foodif you are pregnant. The problem is, they may
consumption will cause you to put on weight andnot be fool proof. Remember to visit a doctor to
your clothes to fit tighter than usual. Anconduct further tests to confirm the results.
unexplainable increase in size of your stomach isPlease take note that not all symptoms above
also a clear sign that you may be pregnant.indicate a confirmed pregnancy. When you have a
8. Heartburn: Hormones created during pregnancypositive pregnancy test, visit a doctor to get
may relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES),more tests done to confirm your pregnancy.
which opens the valve to allow stomach acids toThat's the only way to find out if you are truly
flow up into the esophagus causing a burningpregnant.
sensation.