By Taivan Acer
Whether planned or unplanned, pregnancy is a huge part of a woman’s life. There is a lot that goes on inside their body as it changes in preparation to house the fetus for about six months. Ideally, the earlier you know about your pregnancy the better it is both for you and the baby. This is because you can start adjusting your life accordingly and do what’s best for your health and that of the unborn one. So how can you tell if you’re pregnant before taking a test? Below are some of the early signs of pregnancy to help you know you’ll be housing a baby in the next nine months.
Missed Period
This should arguably be the easiest sign although it is never one hundred percent accurate. If you’re healthy and within childbearing age, then your menstrual cycle should go on without any difficulties. If you notice that a week has passed before your expected cycle starts with periods, then there’s a chance that you’re pregnant. This is because menstruation happens when the eggs have been discharged but not fertilized. Pregnancy happens when the eggs have been fertilized so you can put two and two together. However, it is worth noting that missing your periods doesn’t necessarily mean you’re pregnant. There are plenty of factors that could lead to delayed periods with one of them being an irregular menstrual cycle, something which is quite common. It is also important to point out that there are people who can be pregnant and still receive their periods at the end of the cycle.
Nausea
This is another common symptom popular during the early stages of pregnancy. You feel some element of morning sickness creeping in at random times during the day and suddenly you want to vomit. The nausea is usually experienced during the first month of pregnancy after which it starts to ease up slowly. Some expectant mothers have reported that they didn’t experience morning sickness during their pregnancy so again this doesn’t necessarily happen to everyone. Nausea could also be caused by a number of different things, so it isn’t guaranteed that you’re pregnant if you’re experiencing frequent spells of nausea.
Tender Swollen Breasts
The hormonal changes that take place during early pregnancy can make your breasts sensitive and sore. There isn’t a valid explanation for this but most professionals in the industry have suggested that this could be caused by the mammary glands preparing themselves to be able to provide milk for the baby once they are born.
Light Spotting
Light spotting is another one of the early signs of pregnancy. Also referred to as implantation bleeding, light spotting happens when the fertilized egg attaches itself to the lining of the uterus which is roughly 10 days to two weeks after conception. Implantation bleeding occurs around the time of a menstrual period. However, like all the symptoms on this list, not all women have it.
These are four of the most popular signs of early pregnancy. As we’ve mentioned, none of them guarantee that you’re pregnant so it is advisable to get tested immediately if you have any suspicion.
