Some women occasionally miss a period, but it turns out they’re not pregnant, so a missed period for them doesn’t necessarily spell pregnancy. On the other hand, some pregnant women have slight periods, so they’re not aware they’re pregnant either. There are other signs that you might be pregnant besides a missed period. For some women these signs might be noticed before recognizing missed periods.
By the second trimester most women are definitely aware of the fact that they are pregnant. During the first trimester, however, some women remain unawares. That’s because some early pregnancy signs mimic signs of approaching menstruation or even illness. One such example is aching or tenderness of the breasts. This is a common ailment for many menstruating women and might not be recognized as a sign of pregnancy. However, if the breasts are tender or feeling heavier, and you’ve experienced a missed period, it could be time to take a pregnancy test.
Many women are said to be emotional before, during or after menstruation. The same can be said of some women who are pregnant. Surging hormones can spell mood swings for many women who don’t yet know they’re pregnant. This is only one of several signs that can be connected with menstruation as well as pregnancy.
“Morning sickness” is a term known by most adults whether they’ve had children or not. Morning sickness can definitely point to pregnancy but is an ailment not commonly connected to menstruation. If you suddenly start having morning sickness you might have an inkling of what’s going on, but if the nausea and vomiting occurs other than in the morning, you might not recognize it as a sign of early pregnancy. Consider other symptoms before leaning towards a pregnancy diagnosis. If you have a high fever, for instance, it’s more likely that you’re ill rather than pregnant.
If you suddenly realize that certain smells make you sick, whether the smell is a perfume or meat frying in a skillet, this could point to pregnancy. If you wake up in the morning feeling nauseated, and you nibble crackers while sipping soda, this can help calm morning sickness for some women. If this works for you it could be you’re pregnant and just didn’t know it! Morning sickness generally hits women between a month and six weeks but can last for weeks – or months!
Feeling run-down and tired lately? In early pregnancy rising levels of progesterone are thought to cause some women to feel unusually tired or sleepy. If you know you’re getting your usual amount of sleep, but you feel very tired everyday, you could be pregnant. This is particularly true if you are experiencing no other signs of illness, fever or ailments.
If you have any other symptom of early pregnancy, and you’ve noticed that you’ve gained a pound or two, this could be another indicator. Women who are only a month into their pregnancies can easily gain a pound or two. If you’re a woman who generally stays at the same weight, and you’ve suddenly gained a pound, this could be the first sign you notice that you might be expecting.
There are many different things that can change after being pregnant only a month. Some women report heartburn, lightheadedness, constipation, stiffness in the back, more frequent urinating or even the changing of the color of the nipples.
Some symptoms you’ve experienced in one pregnancy may not be pregnant in a subsequent pregnancy. Having different symptoms between two pregnancies does not establish the gender of the baby. Just because you have different symptoms with a current pregnancy, that you didn’t have when carrying your first son or daughter, doesn’t mean the opposite sex will be had this time around. Symptoms can be varied no matter what the gender or how many pregnancies you’ve experienced.
Although pregnancy tests can be very accurate they often don’t detect a really early pregnancy. Nothing beats a doctor’s diagnosis of a pregnancy no matter how far along you are. If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, with or without a missed period, it could be time to take a pregnancy test. If it’s positive it’s time to see a doctor! By the way, congratulations!
