{"id":2821,"date":"2019-01-07T07:04:04","date_gmt":"2019-01-07T07:04:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/?p=2821"},"modified":"2021-08-03T03:35:50","modified_gmt":"2021-08-03T03:35:50","slug":"10-early-signs-of-pregnancy-few-women-know-about","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/veryhealthy.life\/10-early-signs-of-pregnancy-few-women-know-about\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Early Signs of Pregnancy Few Women Know About"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Pregnancy is one of life\u2019s miraculous blessings. Creating another living, breathing human being is something that every woman deserves to experience in their lifetime. Pregnancy can be a wild ride for expectant mothers. The signs and symptoms of pregnancy show up just a few weeks after conceiving, and if you lack preparation for them, you may think that you are suffering from some disease or health disorder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The classic symptoms of pregnancy are hard to miss. Tender, swollen breasts, a missed period, and an overwhelming sense of being tired all the time are all tell-tale signs that a baby is on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there are a few symptoms of pregnancy that can take new mothers by surprise. Women that are expecting sometimes don\u2019t even realize they are pregnant until the beginning of the second trimester. They mistake the lesser-known signs of pregnancy for other physical and psychological conditions such as the flu or fatigue.
Here are 10 early warning signs that you may have a bun in the oven. If you recognize any of them, make an appointment with your doctor to confirm a possible pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Tender Breasts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although it\u2019s a universal sign of pregnancy, many women write this symptom off to hormonal imbalances or as a regular part of their reproductive cycle. If your breasts are tender and sore, then it\u2019s possible that you have conceived during your last period. If you experience painful breasts for more than a week, then it could be an early sign of pregnancy, not just regular PMS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During early pregnancy<\/a>, levels of the hormones progesterone and estrogen spike, forcing extra blood flow to the breasts. Hormonal spikes are a regular part of the reproductive cycle and it\u2019s common for women to feel tender or sore during this period. However, if the tenderness persists for over a week, you may have conceived. As the pregnancy develops, levels of these two hormones continue to rise, and you may experience further discomfort. Purchase a padded, supportive bra to help you through the early stages of pregnancy as your breasts begin to swell. If the feeling becomes painful, try a cold compress to alleviate the irritation and pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2. Cramping<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Mild cramping is another sign of early pregnancy. The cramps won\u2019t be severe enough to inflict pain, but some women will occasionally experience cramps that leave them doubled up and feeling disabled. Cramps are a regular part of the menstrual cycle; increased production of prostaglandins assists the uterus is shedding its lining. However, excessive cramping over a few days could mean that you have a baby on the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cramping occurs from the increased blood flow to the uterus during pregnancy. If you experience cramping that lasts for longer than a 24-hour period, contact your physician <\/a>for a checkup and pregnancy test.
Many women fear that cramping may be a sign of a miscarriage. Mild cramping in the pelvic region is not a cause for concern. However, consult with your doctor immediately if you experience cramping along with abdominal pain and bleeding. The combination of these symptoms could mean trouble with the pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3. Darkened Areolas<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The breasts undergo many changes in early pregnancy<\/a>. The dark area around your nipple is known as the aureole. This area experiences changes as the pregnancy develops. It’s normal for women to notice the aureole turning a darker shade of color during the first two weeks of pregnancy. Closer inspection of the breasts reveals that your veins may seem to be closer to the surface of your skin than usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll also notice little bumps rising around your aureole, known as Montgomery tubercles. The function of these tubercles is to lubricate the breast during feeding. A surge in hormone levels is also responsible for this condition. Human chorionic gonadotropin, or hCG, is the primary hormone responsible for many of the early signs and symptoms associated with pregnancy. As your pregnancy progresses, your areolas may continue to change, increasing in size, while becoming darker at the same time. For some women, the changes in their aureoles may be permanent, but they are not causing concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4. Increased Body Temperature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This subtle sign of pregnancy often goes unnoticed by women during the initial stages of the first trimester. Basal temperature describes your body\u2019s temperature taken when you first wake up in the morning. An elevated morning temperature reading is quite common during your ovulation cycle. You can expect your body temperature to return to normal after menstruation. However, if you conceived during the cycle, the basal temperature will remain high.
Hormones are once again responsible for this change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Levels of progesterone <\/a>and estrogen rise if conception occurs, increasing your basal temperature. Estrogen and progesterone help the body to sustain a successful pregnancy, avoiding a potential miscarriage. If you think that you\u2019re pregnant, start charting your morning temperature. The best time to begin the charting exercise is on the day that your period starts. Track your temperature readings for a few days and if it doesn\u2019t drop off, visit your doctor for pregnancy diagnosis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5. Spotting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Have you experienced some light bleeding around the week before your period is scheduled to start? This condition, known as \u201cspotting\u201d occurs as the fertilized egg tries to embed itself in the wall of the uterus. The increased blood flow to the uterus during conception creates a light bleeding effect in around 25% of women. This event usually occurs around one to two weeks after fertilization, causing mild irritation that most women associate with a regular menstrual cycle. Therefore, most women disregard this early symptom <\/a>of pregnancy and only realize that is was implantation bleeding after they have been diagnosed as pregnant by their doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you experience spotting, note the day and the stage of your period cycle. If the bleeding is abnormal and untimely, purchase a home pregnancy test to validate your concerns. Mid-cycle bleeding is a fairly common occurrence and may not be a sign of spotting. However, if you notice a pattern developing, consult with your doctor for further analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6. Urinating Frequently<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Have you been running to the bathroom to pee more frequently than usual? This occurrence is another tell-tale sign that many women notice, but fail to attribute to pregnancy. Frequent urination occurs around the third week of pregnancy, as the body ramps up production of hCG. Excess hCG excretes through the urine and is the hormone <\/a>used to detect pregnancy. Home pregnancy tests measure the quantity of hCG in urine, resulting in a positive test when levels exceed the standard value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The urge to pee frequently is not a cause for concern. You will also discover that this sensation increases as the pregnancy develops. During the third trimester, your child will place stress on your bladder, further increasing the need to urinate. If you find that you are making frequent trips to the bathroom, and it\u2019s not because you drank too much water that day, consider picking up a home pregnancy test and arrange an appointment with your physician for a comprehensive evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7. Fatigue<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The stress of a modern lifestyle and pressures at work often result in feelings of fatigue<\/a>. Unfortunately, feeling tired all the time is another early warning sign of pregnancy. Fatigue is one of the most challenging symptoms to deal with, as it affects your mood and energy levels during the day. Fatigue shouldn\u2019t be confused with just feeling a bit tired, if you are genuinely fatigued, you will feel like you can\u2019t keep your eyes open and every second awake seems like an eternity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As your pregnancy develops, the body draws your natural energy source, ATP, to assist with the baby\u2019s growth. As a result, you have less energy to sustain your regular metabolic function and feelings of fatigue begin to surface. Hormonal increases play a role in feelings of fatigue as well, as the pregnancy progresses, the body requires more energy to produce hormones critical to the success of your pregnancy. This feeling of fatigue should subside in the second trimester, and you should experience a return to normal levels of energy during the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8. Missed Period<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This classic sign of pregnancy can also be misleading to new mothers. A missed period isn\u2019t just a sign of pregnancy. The symptom can occur for many different reasons, such as excessive stress<\/a>, or very low levels of body fat. Athletes with body fat levels lower than 10% often experience missed periods, because the body cannot sustain healthy reproductive function in this state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the initial stages of pregnancy, it’s possible for women to confuse spotting with their period. If you notice that your period is much lighter than usual, it could be from implantation bleeding.
Most women have experienced missing their period at some stage in their life. However, if it\u2019s not normal for you to skip your period, then you may be pregnant. Pick up a home pregnancy test and visit your doctor for confirmation. It\u2019s important to note that home pregnancy tests can detect the presence of hCG in urine up to 5 days before your period begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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9. Morning Sickness<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This dreadful symptom of pregnancy usually begins around the six-week mark. Waking in the morning to a bout of vomiting <\/a>and nausea could leave you feeling like you have contracted a stomach virus. However, raised hormone levels are the culprit of this symptom. Morning sickness is named so because the feeling of nausea often occurs first thing in the morning before you have had anything to eat. As the day progresses, the sick feeling will begin to subside. It\u2019s also common for some women to experience occasional bouts of morning sickness, they feel good one day and terrible the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The escalation in hCG after egg implantation results in these feelings of nausea. The intensity of the symptoms can vary from case to case, with some women being completely immobilized, while others only experience light cases of morning sickness. It\u2019s also possible for women to experience morning sickness for one pregnancy and not for another, making it a troublesome symptom to identify a potential pregnancy. Visit your doctor for further tests and analysis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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10. Food Cravings and Aversions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Why is it that you suddenly want an ice-cream and pickle sandwich? Expectant mothers can have wild cravings and aversions to certain foods. It\u2019s common for women to crave salt, fat, and sugar during pregnancy, especially during the first trimester. Modern medicine is at a loss to explain this peculiar behavior. However, some medical professionals think that the reason for these strange cravings and aversions come from the hormonal changes, but that\u2019s not a confirmed fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pregnancy <\/a>can also mess with your senses. Smells that you used to enjoy may all of a sudden repulse you. Typical examples of smell aversions are perfumes, deodorants, and foods that set off a feeling of nausea the moment they are detected. Almost 90% of pregnant women experience intense cravings for foods that they haven\u2019t eaten in years, so if you\u2019re wondering why that ice-cream and pickle sandwich sounds so inviting, it may be because you\u2019re pregnant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\r\n

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