Pregnancy looks different for every woman. While some women experience many symptoms right away, others may not notice any changes.
However, if you’re currently in the waiting period between when you last had sex and your period’s expected arrival date, you may be paying extra close attention to your body.
Here are eleven early pregnancy signs and symptoms that might indicate a positive pregnancy test is just around the corner:
1. Nausea with or without Vomiting
Do you have subtle feelings of nausea or more intense nausea leading to vomiting? Also known as “morning sickness,” nausea during pregnancy is very common and can happen at any time of day.
2. Increased Urination
When you become pregnant, your blood volume increases. More blood means your kidneys must process more fluid, leading to more fluid in your bladder.
3. Nasal Congestion
Does your nose feel especially stuffy, but you do not have a cold, flu, or allergies to explain it? The increased hormone levels and blood production during pregnancy can cause the mucous membranes inside your nose to swell, dry out, and bleed easily.
4. Tender, Swollen Breasts
Similar to right before a period, your breasts can feel tender and swollen due to hormonal changes. The discomfort usually subsides after a few weeks.
5. Fatigue
Do you feel more tired than usual or have less energy? Fatigue is another common pregnancy symptom, likely due to the rapid rise in progesterone, but no one knows the exact cause.
6. Moodiness
Are you feeling extra sensitive and crying more than usual? The flood of hormones in your body during pregnancy can cause you to feel unusually emotional and even trigger mood swings.
7. Bloating
As with your period, you may experience some bloating. This symptom is likely due to hormones as well.
8. Light Spotting
Around the time when you’d expect your period, you may experience light vaginal bleeding. Also called “implantation bleeding,” you may experience this when the fertilized egg implants into the wall of your uterus. Not every woman experiences this.
9. Food Aversions or Cravings
If certain foods like spinach don’t appeal to you at all or even make you sick when you think about them, you could be experiencing food aversion. You may also crave foods you never cared about, like pickles and spicy foods.
10. Cramping
You may experience some mild cramping early in pregnancy.
11. Constipation
Your digestive system slows down due to hormonal changes during pregnancy, causing constipation.
Is it Time to Take a Pregnancy Test?
One of the most obvious signs of pregnancy is a missed period. Once you miss your period, it’s time to take a pregnancy test.
Schedule an appointment at First Care Clinic for free and confidential pregnancy testing to learn whether or not you’re pregnant. A pregnancy test followed by an ultrasound is the only way to confirm your pregnancy and collect critical details to guide your next steps.
Contact us today.