How To Know If You Are Pregnant - The 18 First Signs Of Pregnancy
Posted: Tuesday, June 05, 2007
by Natalie Williams
Are you pregnant? Check out the 18 pregnancy symptoms below to see if you have been experiencing any of them.
1. Nausea or morning sickness: Morning sickness is term to describe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. This occurs in approximately 50% to 95% of all pregnant women as early as the first week of pregnancy. Morning sickness probably got it's name due to the fact that most of the nauseating symptoms start in the morning right after you get out of bed when your blood sugar levels are low. However, it may happen at any time of the day.
3. Dizziness and fainting spells: Due to the lowered blood pressure in your body during pregnancy, blood flow to the brain may cause dizziness and fainting spells in serious cases.
4. Mood swings: With your hormones raging, it is common for women to feel moody during their pregnancy. All women have to go through a period of adjustment to settle into their new roles as a pregnant women and that takes time.
5. Fatigue: If you feel tired and experience some or all of the symptoms mentioned in this article, you have a good chance of being pregnant. Hormonal changes are usually the main cause of fatigue followed by the additional weight you have to carry around.
6. Food cravings: Craving for food that you normally would not eat could be a sign that you are pregnant. Normally, women report cravings for salty and sweet food during pregnancy while others report a uncommon desire for spicy or starchy food.
7. Weight gain and bloating: The combination of your baby's growth and your increased food intake will cause you to put on weight and your clothes to fit tighter than usual. An inexplicable increase in size of your stomach is also a definitive sign that you may be pregnant.
8. Heartburn: Hormones created during pregnancy may relax the lower esophageal sphincter (LES), which opens the valve to allow stomach acids to flow up into the esophagus causing a burning sensation.
9. Lower back pain: As your baby grows in size, the additional weight pulls your spine to the front of your body and causes you to experience some back pain from time to time.
10. Constipation: Hormonal changes during pregnancy slows down the movement of food through your digestive system which results in constipation. This could be a sign of pregnancy if you do not experience constipation frequently.
11. Constant urination: Your growing baby in the uterus puts a lot of pressure on your bladder and you may find yourself visiting the toilet more frequently than usual.
12. High Basal Body Temperature (BBT): If your BTT stays in the high temperature range for 18 days or more, you have a good chance of being pregnant.
13. Cramping: As the uterus grows and stretches, it is normal to feel cramps that feel similar to menstrual cramps.
14. Spotting: Slight bleeding occurs when the fertilized egg begins to implant itself into the uterus any time from 3 to 6 days after fertilization. This usually happens outside of a normal menstruation cycle so it should not be confused with a normal period.
15. Darkening of the areolas: Your areolas could darken and increase in diameter during pregnancy. This is caused by your body's preparation for your breasts to produce milk.
16. Tender or swollen breasts: A lot of women experience sore, swollen, tingly or tender breasts during pregnancy due to the increasing hormones that are used to prepare a woman for breastfeeding. This feels like a amplified version of how your breast feels before your period.
17. Missed periods: If you have been sexually active and you missed a period, it is a good indication that are you are pregnant. A pregnancy test should be taken to confirm if the missed period is really caused by your pregnancy.
18. Positive pregnancy tests: Only a positive urine test or blood test can give you solid indication that you are pregnant. The problem is, they may not be fool proof. Remember to visit a doctor to conduct further tests to confirm the results.
It is important to remember that not all of the symptoms above can confirm a pregnancy. When you have a positive pregnancy test, visit a doctor to get more tests done to confirm your pregnancy. That's the only way to find out if you are truly pregnant.
Visit Natalie's Pregnancy101.net to find out what are the top eBooks on pregnancy to help you get pregnant, stay slim during pregnancy, lose weight after pregnancy and have an easier birth.
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More commentsHey I'm 19, and I had sex 2 days before my period and i also had sex the day I'm suppose to finish my period, he cum on me but I guess he pull out to late. Later I stated to bleed, and the other days I was just spotting a little.. A week pass my head stated to hurt I been eating a lot, there wouldn be days that I want to thruw up or I'm to tired to lazy. There would be days that I feel my stomach big and at the bottom where my stomach is at hurts at times.
Could I be pregnet?
Pls help?
Heys
I just turn 19,
I had sex on April 29 and he came at me. But later I stated on May 1st I stated my period so I wasn't worry. My period takes 4 days so by friday I was suppose to finish. My boyfriend and I had sex I was still bleeding a little and he cum.
Could there be a possibility I could be pregnant?
Please help!!!!
okay well i had sex and on thursday 5-3-2012 and thuoght my period was completely gone and he cam inside me thinking it was and nothing came out.my period was gone saturday on the 5th had sex on wensday 8th cam in me again and now i have like this peach-ness going on you know how your period is almost done,and its been like this for 2 days and i'm eating alot and breast are swollen,and my period was over on saturday the 5th of april what does that indacate ?
hi i had sex about three months in a row now last month i skipped my period but then this month it was two days and for about two weeks i have been having lower back pain, i have been exauhsted , and then these last three days i have been waking up with new stretchmarks im wandering if anyone has advice if i am pregnant or if stress is causeing this
Mariah, Im 24 yrs Old My last period was on Mar.19 2012 Now were in May 15 2012 haven't had my period. Could i be Pregnant???
hey Im 17 year old and i had sex on Mar 29 and i was on my period..but i wasnt bleedin tht much and he didnt pull out..but it has been two weeks now and yetday Im had the morning sickness..i was throwin up all day. I really couldnt eat anything.. I headack.. and i been dizzy and things..Now it Tuesday and i have a headack and my back hurts and im been sleeping alot. It not that bad from yetday!
Could i be pregnant?
Oh. .
hi .. im 15 and have had sex just a little while ago and was curious if pre-cum is the same concept as actually cumming... please i am desperate because if i am pregnant then i need to hide it from my mother there for she cant make me have an abortion i am very much against them and i cant stand the thought of having something that preciouse ripped out of me ...
I am 9 days late and took 2 pregnncy tests and both negative. I took one this past Monday and after I tok it I g a lttle light pink and brown spoting. Saw it when i wiped and when i put a tapon in, 4 hours later there wasonly alittle spot on the tamon. I havea lot of pregnancy symptoms and my husband came out and told me I'm pregnant. Been off birth control for about 8 months. Have sex like 3 times a week. Had sex when I was ovulating. I have an appointment on Monday and today is Wednesday. Could I be pregnant? My lower stomach is hard and tight.
I am 12 I started my period at 10 I have never had sex but have had every sypention! I feel sick every morn and goes about 12ish! I had a bit of spotting just before I started my period this month! But am very heavey now!
SOMEONE HELP ME!!!!Hi Jemima,
Even though you started when you were 10 and have had your period, it changes as you get older. If you haven't had sex, there is nothing to worry about, they are just adjusting. I used to start my period out with a heavy flow right of the bat, but as I got older I spot first and later in the day or the next day it becomes heavy.
If it is really worrying you and you think something is wrong, talk to your mom and see if she thinks you should go to a doctor.
Hope I helped ease your worry! :)
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