Early Signs of Pregnancy - Watch Out for These Symptoms

While many women definitely wonder if they are pregnant when they miss a period, there are a variety of other signs and symptoms that are often experienced by women when they are in the very early stages of their pregnancy. Of course, keep in mind that not every woman has all of the symptoms mentioned and they can experience them to different degrees. In fact, every pregnancy for one woman can end up feeling different. If you are trying to get pregnant, here are some of the symptoms that you should watch out for.

The First Missed Period:

Of course, usually one of the very first things you may notice when you are pregnant is that first missed period. Some women still have a little bleeding or spotting at this point in time though, which is known as implantation bleeding. It usually doesn't last too long and is not very heavy. However, this may fool women into thinking that they had their period.

Breast Changes:

A variety of changes can occur to the breasts, which are signs that can occur fairly early in the pregnancy. Often pain, swelling, and tenderness can occur. While this may be a bit like some of the sensations that occur before having a period, usually they are worse and may be accompanied by a feeling of fullness. Even just a week or so often conception, these symptoms may begin to show up and clue you in that you may be pregnant.

Vomiting and Nausea:

Probably one of the most common early signs of pregnancy is vomiting and nausea. This is known as morning sickness and it can occur not only in the morning, but through the day and at night as well. Usually this starts somewhere between week 2 and 8 of the pregnancy, while some develop it sooner. Sometimes this is caused by sensitivity to smells. The elevation in estrogen early on can end up contributing to the nausea and sometimes along with the morning sickness, certain cravings can occur.

Bloating of the Abdomen:

Some women also deal with bloating of the abdomen as well. They may feel like they are bloating. However, usually at this stage only about a pound of weight gain each month is going to be normal. Not only can bloating occur, but some mild cramps can occur as well during this time.

More Frequent Urination:

Often women feel like that they have to urinate more often when they are pregnant. This can especially occur at night. Laughing, sneezing, and coughing may cause a bit of leakage as well. There are physical and hormonal causes to this issue. A hormone that the embryo starts to produce, hCG, can stimulate the urination. Also, as the baby develops, there may be a lot of pressure on the bladder, leading to this problem.

Headaches:

For some women, headaches are one of the big early signs of pregnancy. Often the changes in the levels of hormones can cause the headaches to occur. If a woman suddenly begins to get horrible headaches, this may be a sign that she is pregnant. Of course, usually the headaches are accompanied by other signs as well.