Most women may not experience any symptoms of pregnancy for a few weeks after conception. Below is a list of
some common signs of impending motherhood.
Missed period is the surest sign of pregnancy
The surest sign of pregnancy is a missed period. However, a woman can miss her period due to many other reasons like stress, trauma or a major illness. Also appearance of periods does not exclude the possibility of pregnancy as many women continue to bleed for a few months of their pregnancy while some women may bleed throughout their pregnancy.
Implantation Bleeding
Some women may experience a light bleed at the time when their period is due. This bleeding is often confused with a regular period. It is light pink in color and it may appear in the form of spotting. This is called as implantation bleeding. When the embryo is firmly embedded in the inner lining of the uterus many women may experience the implantation bleeding.
Morning Sickness is one of the signs of early pregnancy
Although nausea in pregnancy is called as morning sickness it can appear any time of the day. In some women it may last only for the first trimester while in others it may last for a few months after the first trimester. Some women have to endure the nausea throughout the duration of the entire pregnancy. Some women may not experience any nausea during their pregnancy.
Sore and Tender Nipples
One of the signs of early pregnancy is sore and tender nipples. The nipples may be tender and sensitive. The nipples may also darken in color due to the surge of the hormones.
Fatigue
Many women complain of fatigue and extreme exhaustion. Some may experience sleepiness and drowsiness more than usual. This is because the body has to work more in order to support the developing baby. As a result the metabolism is faster and more energy is needed to provide nutrition for the growing baby as well as the mother. Hence many women experience exhaustion.
Frequent Urination
As the uterus starts growing in size in order to make room for the growing baby, it starts pressing against the urinary bladder. The body also increases the blood supply to the uterus. This leads to irritation of the urinary bladder. So many women have to get up frequently in the night to urinate. They may pass small amounts of urine but have to go to the toilet frequently.
Pregnancy Test
Pregnancy test measures the level of human chorionic gonadotrophic hormone in the urine. This hormone is secreted during pregnancy. However if you do this test before your period is due or as soon as you miss your period then you may get a false negative result as the level of this hormone may not be sufficient enough to generate the positive result. So women are advised to wait for at least 2 weeks after the missed period to perform the test. This will give accurate results and avoid further disappointments.
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