Women who are in the early stages of pregnancy will usually begin to display some symptoms, however every woman’s body is different, so you may notice all of the main pregnancy symptoms, or you may only notice a few of them. Some women report that they have not experienced any of the symptoms at all! Below are some of the main pregnancy symptoms.
The symptom which alerts most women to the fact that they may be pregnant is a missed period. However, some pregnant women will still have a very light period, albeit with a decreased blood flow. If this is the case, there are other telltale signs which could suggest pregnancy. If you suspect that you may be pregnant, take an over the-counter test or contact your doctor. Most over-the-counter tests are only effective after the date of the first missed period, however these tests are not infallible.
About half of all women who are in the early stages of a pregnancy will experience “morning sickness” which includes nausea and vomiting, and about three in ten women will experience nausea without any vomiting. Despite being known as morning sickness, these pregnancy symptoms can present themselves at any time of day or night. Morning sickness usually starts about six weeks after the date of the last period and will usually last until about week 12 -14. Although most women will experience some form of morning sickness, if you begin to display severe symptoms and cannot keep any food down, contact your doctor. If you do experience vomiting, try to keep your fluid levels up.
Other pregnancy symptoms to watch out for are changes in the breasts. You may notice that they suddenly appear to have become larger and they may feel tenderer. They may also feel slightly tingly. Visually, you may be able to see more veins through the skin and the color of the nipples may seem to become darker.
Pay attention to changes in your urination habits and your bowel movements. Needing to urinate more frequently, especially at night time is one of the early pregnancy symptoms. Many women also suffer from constipation, which can plague them throughout the course of the pregnancy. Gentle exercise may be able to help to relieve chronic constipation, but over-the-counter laxatives should be avoided unless you are advised to take them by a medical professional.
Changes in sensory perception are also possible. Many women report that one of the pregnancy symptoms which they experience is an odd taste in the mouth. Many of those who experience this describe the taste as being slightly metallic. You may also lose interest in some of your previous favorite foods and develop intense cravings for ones which you do not normally desire. As well as developing changes in taste, you may notice that your sense of smell becomes more sensitive. You may notice smells which you previously ignored and some of these smells may trigger an adverse reaction in you. Strong smells like perfume or aftershave could even trigger nausea or vomiting.
