Introduction:
Are you pregnant? Whether you were looking forward to it or simply suspecting it, there is always a way of getting the answer; having a pregnancy test. However, there are early signs and symptoms that may indicate that you might be pregnant. Please read on to find out more.
5 Early Signs and Symptoms of Pregnancy
Below are some of the obvious signs and symptoms of pregnancy;
Nausea
Ever heard of morning sickness? If you have never experienced this, let the name not fool you. It doesn’t happen in the mornings only, but can be at any time, day or night. Nausea could be an early sign that you are pregnant. Moreover, some may experience it with vomiting while others may not vomit. Notably, our interactions with women in Singapore have revealed some do not experience nausea at all in the course of their pregnancy.
Fatigue
Do you suddenly feel fatigued and sleepy all the time? Your fatigue could be a symptom of pregnancy. So, what is its cause? Early pregnancy leads to a rapid rise in progesterone hormone, which can contribute to fatigue. Notably, it may come in as early as a week after conception.
Missed Period
If you live in Singapore and have reached childbearing age, you expect a menstrual cycle. This is your body’s way of preparing for a pregnancy. So, what if 1 or more weeks pass without that expected cycle? It could mean that your uterine lining has not been shed, and this can be an early sign of pregnancy.
However, you don’t have to panic when your period is delayed or you miss it, especially if you have an irregular menstrual cycle that may result from hormonal imbalance or subjecting your body to too much stress. Thus, you will have to watch out for more signs or do some tests to be certain.
Increased Urination
How often do you urinate? If you realize your trips to the bathroom are more often than normal, it could be a sign that you are pregnant. How so? Pregnancy increases the amount of blood in the body. This in turn leads to more fluids for your kidneys to filter, and more waste to remove, hence, the frequent urge to urinate.
Remember, increased urination may set in early on in the pregnancy and last through the whole pregnancy.
Change in Breast
If you notice a sudden change in your breast; swollen, tender, sore, or increased sensitivity, a few days after missing your period, you could be pregnant. These changes in your breast can be caused by the change in hormones, especially estrogen and progesterone hormones. If you are indeed pregnant, your body will take a few weeks to adjust to the changes. Therefore, you can expect to experience more discomfort.
Are You Really Pregnant?
As you may already have noticed, some of the discussed early signs and symptoms are similar to those you may experience before or during your menstruation. Notably, there are cases when the signs and symptoms are not a result of you being pregnant since they are caused by other things.
Therefore, if you experience any of the 5 early signs and symptoms of pregnancy, don’t be too quick to conclude that you are pregnant. On the contrary, carry out a pregnancy test to be certain. This is the only way of being sure that you are pregnant.
Conclusion
Whether you have hopes or suspicions about pregnancy, taking a pregnancy test is a sure way of knowing the truth. This is because some of the early signs such as changes in breasts, fatigue, and increased urge to urinate could be caused by other things apart from pregnancy. Furthermore, each woman and each pregnancy is different, and so are the signs and symptoms of pregnancy.