Early Signs of Pregnancy You Should Know

Missed Period

This is the most obvious indicator that you’re pregnant. Women who have regular menstruation consider this the most important sign of being pregnant.

Swollen and tender breasts

Your body’s estrogen and progesterone levels are increased because you’re pregnant. The increased levels make breasts become tender and swollen in preparation for milk and milk production.

Darkening Areolas

Due to increased levels of hormones in the body of a pregnant woman, areolas tend to become darker.

Mood Swings

Mood swings are normal when you’re pregnant. This is because the body is adjusting to the changes that are happening inside, in addition to hormone levels increasing.

Nausea

Morning sickness is very common in pregnant women. It is due to the increased levels of progesterone. Nausea can happen anytime of the day, but most of the time, it occurs every morning.

Fatigue

Pregnant women experience fatigue even if they’re not doing anything. The reason behind that is because a lot of your energy is focused on building a safe haven inside your body for your baby. In turn, you don’t have the enough energy to perform your usual activities.

Frequent Urination

A growing uterus begins to put pressure on the urinary bladder, which leaves less space for urine storage. In addition, when a woman is pregnant, a hormone called hCG increases blood flow to the kidneys. As a result, the body gets rid of waste more efficiently.

Sharp Sense of Smell

Odors become more prominent when you are pregnant. You may find yourself feeling ill if something does not smell appetizing.

Food Cravings and Aversions

Food cravings most likely indicate pregnancy.

Bloating

Bloating is caused because digestion is slowed down due to increased levels of progesterone. Nutrients can now have more time to enter the bloodstream due to a slowed digestion.

Headaches

Headaches occur due to the sudden rise of hormones in the body.

Intensified Dreams

When you are pregnant, your dreams become extremely vivid. This is due to the increased level of hormones. 

Bleeding

Although this is an uncommon symptom, it does happen to some women. Before your next scheduled period, light spotting or implantation bleeding occurs. This is a sign that an embryo is implanted into the uterine wall. 

Abdominal Cramping

This is another uncommon symptom. In the first few weeks of pregnancy abdominal cramping is experienced by some women. It’s just like menstrual cramps.

When you experience these signs, it is better to seek medical attention to confirm that you really are pregnant. Then, you can now make that special announcement.