Early pregnancy symptoms can be so subtle that only a few women can notice them and, in most cases, go unnoticed. However, knowing the symptoms that may appear is a great way for a woman to be more attentive to her own body and to identify a possible pregnancy more quickly.
These symptoms should be especially considered after a menstrual delay, as in some cases they can also occur from other situations, such as PMS.
If you think you may be pregnant, take this online test to find out what your chances are:
Whatever the result of this test, the best way to confirm that you’re pregnant is to get a pregnancy test at a pharmacy, which can be done from the 1st day of menstrual delay or 14 days after intercourse.
The typical symptoms of the first few days of pregnancy are the most difficult to perceive and are often identified by women who may notice very subtle differences in their own bodies:
When the egg is fertilized, there may be a slight pink flow, which is actually the normal flow that the woman has each month, but with traces of blood that may have been caused by implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus.
This discharge may occur a few minutes after intercourse or up to 3 days later. Sometimes this secretion is only visible when the woman is cleaned after urinating.
See other causes of pink vaginal discharge
Because of the significant hormonal changes that occur from the moment of conception, it is normal for some women to have a thicker than normal vaginal discharge. This secretion does not need to be pink and, in most cases, even has a slightly whitish color.
When this secretion is accompanied by odor or symptoms such as pain or itching, it is very important to consult a gynecologist, as this may also indicate a vaginal infection, including thrush. Understand that changes in production can indicate health problems.
Bloating is also one of the first symptoms of pregnancy and occurs most often during the first 7 days to 2 weeks. Increased blood flow and adaptation to uterine growth are the main causes of this abdominal swelling, which can be mistaken for mild to medium-intensity menstrual cramps. In addition, a woman may still have a small blood loss, similar to menstruation, but in smaller amounts.
Symptoms that begin to appear around the second week are among the most typical of pregnancy:
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms of pregnancy that can be present throughout pregnancy and begins to appear around the second week. It is normal for this tiredness to increase during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, while the body adapts all its metabolism to provide the energy needed for the baby’s development.
The woman begins to feel that the tasks she used to do are becoming very exhausting and that she needs to sleep more than 10 hours a night to replenish the energies she spent during the day.
Look for other causes of easy fatigue and excessive sleep
During the first two weeks of pregnancy, the woman may feel that the breasts are more sensitive and this is due to the action of hormones that stimulate the mammary glands by preparing the woman for breastfeeding. There is also an increase in breast volume, which begins to have more developed mammary glands to support the baby after birth.
In addition to breast augmentation and tenderness, women may also notice changes in the areolas, which tend to darken more than normal due to increased blood flow in the area.
See the 6 most common breast changes during pregnancy
The absence of menstruation is usually the most obvious symptom of pregnancy, because during pregnancy, the woman stops having her period, to allow the fetus to develop properly in the womb.
This signal is produced due to increased production of the beta hormone hCG, which prevents the ovaries from continuing to release mature eggs. Lack of menstruation can occur up to 4 weeks after conception and is more easily identified in women with regular periods of time.
Discover the top 9 causes of menstrual delay
Although back pain is almost always considered a common symptom of the last few weeks of pregnancy, some women may develop this type of pain early in pregnancy, in relation to changes that occur in a woman’s body upon receiving the baby.
In some cases, back pain can be mistaken for abdominal cramping and, as a result, some women may find that menstruation is approaching, however, in the absence of menstruation, they begin to realize that it is actually pain. low back, unrelated to menstruation.
It is very common for a woman to have an aversion to strong smells at the beginning of pregnancy, even if they are apparently pleasant, such as perfume. Most pregnant women can even vomit after having a strong odor, such as gasoline, cigarettes or cleaning products, for example.
In addition, as the sense of smell becomes altered, some women may also report that there is a change in the taste of the food, which becomes more intense and unpleasant.
In the first two weeks of pregnancy, the woman may perceive certain mood swings, without apparent cause. It is very common for pregnant women to cry for situations that would not make them cry before becoming pregnant and this symptom should persist throughout pregnancy.
In fact, strong hormonal changes, normal during pregnancy, can cause an imbalance in neurotransmitter levels, leaving the mood more unstable.
After the first month of pregnancy, after menstruation delay, many women begin to experience other characteristic symptoms, such as:
Nausea and vomiting are common, especially in the morning, and these are some of the most well-known pregnancy symptoms, which usually appear after the sixth week of pregnancy and can last the entire pregnancy. See where morning sickness can occur.
However, nausea should not always be accompanied by vomiting, and nausea is even more common for nausea to appear and disappear without the woman vomiting, especially in the morning.
Typical pregnancy cravings can begin from the first month of pregnancy and continue throughout pregnancy. It’s common for some women to want to eat strange foods, try different mixes, or even eat foods they’ve never tasted before.
In some cases, these desires may be related to nutritional deficiencies in certain types of minerals or vitamins, especially if they are for something very different from what a woman usually eats. In these situations, it is recommended to consult a doctor to understand what may be causing it.
Dizziness is a symptom that occurs due to low blood pressure, low blood sugar and poor diet due to frequent nausea and vomiting. They appear within the first 5 weeks of pregnancy, but tend to decrease after the 20th week of pregnancy.
Headache is also common during pregnancy due to hormonal changes, but it is usually small, though persistent, and often the woman does not even associate this discomfort with pregnancy.
As pregnancy progresses, the pregnant woman’s body needs to produce several hormones, such as progesterone, to ensure that the baby develops healthily. When this happens, the bladder muscles relax more and, as a result, it is harder to completely empty urine into the bladder and, as a result, the woman may feel a more frequent need to go to the bathroom to urinate.
Understand what can make you urinate all the time
Hormonal changes can cause the appearance or aggravation of blackheads and pimples, scientifically called acne, and therefore, after the first month of pregnancy, the woman may notice an increase in oily skin, which can be controlled with the use of skin and personal cleansers. hygiene products.
If a pregnancy is suspected, a woman is advised to take a pregnancy test at the pharmacy, which can be performed from the first day of menstrual delay. If the result is negative, you can wait 3 to 5 more days, and if your period is still delayed, you can take a new pregnancy test.
If the result is again negative, the possibility of having a blood test for pregnancy can be evaluated because it is more reliable and shows the amount of beta hormone HCG, which occurs only during pregnancy. This review also lets you know how many weeks of pregnancy you have:
However, if even after 10 days of delay in menstruation, the pregnancy test at the pharmacy is negative, the woman should not be pregnant, but must make an appointment with a gynecologist to verify the cause of menstrual delay. See some possible causes of delayed menstruation.
Watch this video to find out what early pregnancy symptoms may go unnoticed in some women:
In the case of psychological pregnancy, all these symptoms may be present and the only way to show that there is no fetal development is through tests. If you think this may be the case, see how to identify and treat a psychological pregnancy.
After confirming the pregnancy by urine test from the pharmacy, it is advisable to consult the gynecologist for a pregnancy blood test, as this test indicates the amount of Beta HCG hormones and is more reliable.
From 5 weeks of gestation, your doctor may do a transvaginal ultrasound to look at the gestational sac and check if the pregnancy is developing inside the uterus, as in some cases an ectopic pregnancy may occur, while the woman is pregnant. the baby develops in the tubes, which is very serious and puts the woman’s life at risk.
If your doctor has not had the ultrasound before, between 8 and 13 weeks gestation, you should order this test to also confirm the gestational age and when the baby should be 40 weeks old, which should be the expected date of delivery.
In this test, the baby is still very small and incons visible, but it is usually very exciting for parents. It is still too early to know the sex of the baby, but if the doctor suspects that it is a child, this is probably the case, but it is still necessary to confirm the next ultrasound, in the second trimester of gestation, around 20. Weeks.