Am I Pregnant? Recognising the first signs of pregnancy
Some women are so in tune with their bodies that they can tell within days that they are pregnant.
But what are the very early indications we can get from our bodies that this miraculous change is underway?
Missed period
Light bleeding, which seems to be a period, can still happen during a pregnancy, usually when progesterone levels are not high enough. However it rarely happens throughout the whole pregnancy.
For a woman who has always been regular, a missed menstrual period is often the first indication of pregnancy.
However, women also miss periods for other reasons such as emotional upset, illness, severe weight loss, over-exercising, anxiety about getting pregnant, onset of menopause and sometimes coming off the pill.
Tender breasts
A woman’s breasts may feel different immediately she falls pregnant. Some women notice that their nipples are more sensitive or that the breasts feel heavier, fuller and ache a little or tingle.
Sickness
Sickness, or nausea, is a common early sign for some women and it often lasts through first three months of pregnancy. Some very unlucky women feel sick throughout their pregnancy.
It is thought to be triggered by high levels of the hormone progesterone.
Frequent weeing
It is very common to wee more often during the first three months of pregnancy.
This frequent need to pass water is due to pressure from the enlarging uterus on the bladder. It usually wears off slightly in the middle months and returns again when the baby is bigger and starts pressing on your bladder.
Feeling tired
This can be very noticeable during the first three months. Women who usually have boundless energy can find themselves simply having to catnap during the day.
The extra progesterone produced after conception causes the basal body temperature to rise, which in turn contributes to a lack of energy. The pregnant women’s heart also pumps faster, as it has to deliver extra oxygen to the uterus; so this, too, can make you feel more tired.
Constipation
The action of the hormone progesterone relaxes the muscle of the intestine reducing its movement and causing varying degrees of constipation. This can last throughout the whole pregnancy.
Altered tastes
Alterations in tastes may be among the early pregnancy symptoms for many women. Some have a strange taste in their mouth even before the first period is missed. It’s most commonly described as metallic.
Shortly after missing the first period many women also start to go off certain foods and develop a strong aversion to other tastes and smells.
Conversely some women may develop a strong craving for a certain food very early on and this too can be a clue to pregnancy.
Skin changes
Skin can become drier, but also can be prone to an outbreak of spots.
Happily many women report that their skin has never been so good as when they are pregnant and that hair and nails are stronger too.
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