Pregnancy symptoms: Top 10 signs you might be pregnant
If you're extremely tuned in to your body's rhythms, you may begin to suspect you're pregnant soon after conception. But most women won't experience any pregnancy symptoms until the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterine wall several days after conception. Others may feel no different for weeks and begin to wonder only when they miss a period. Below is a list of some of the first signs of impending motherhood. You may experience all, some, or none of these pregnancy symptoms:
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What's below:
• 10. Food cravings
• 9. Darkening of your areolas
• 8. Implantation bleeding or cramping
• 7. Frequent urination
• 6. Fatigue
• 5. Tender, swollen breasts
• 4. Morning sickness
• 3. Your basal body temperature stays high
• 2. A missed period
• 1. A positive home pregnancy test
• See also
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10. Food cravings
Sure it's a cliché, but food cravings sometimes can be a sign of pregnancy. Don't rely on them as a sure symptom (it may be all in your head, or even a sign that your body is low on a particular nutrient), but if cravings are accompanied by some of the other pregnancy symptoms on this list, start looking for an OB or midwife.
9. Darkening of your areolas
If the skin around your nipples gets darker, you may have successfully conceived, though this may also signal a hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy.
8. Implantation bleeding or cramping
About 12 to 14 days after ovulation (about the time you might expect your period), you may experience implantation spotting, a slight staining of a pink or brown color, as well as some cramping. This is caused by the fertilized egg burrowing into the wall of your uterus.
7. Frequent urination
Once the embryo implants and begins producing the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), you may find yourself going to the bathroom more often.
6. Fatigue
Feeling tired? No, make that exhausted. High levels of the hormone progesterone can make you feel as if you've run a marathon when all you've done is put in a day at the office. Fatigue is a hallmark of early pregnancy, though probably not a surefire pregnancy symptom on its own.
5. Tender, swollen breasts
If you're pregnant, your breasts will probably become increasingly tender to the touch, similar to the way they feel before your period, only more so. Once your body grows accustomed to the hormone surge, the pain will subside.
4. Morning sickness
If you're lucky, morning sickness won't hit you until a few weeks after conception. (A lucky few escape it altogether.) But as early as a couple of days following conception, you may begin feeling nauseated and queasy. And not just in the morning, either — pregnancy-related nausea can be a problem morning, noon, or night.
3. Your basal body temperature stays high
If you've been charting your basal body temperature and you see that your temperature has stayed above the coverline for 18 days in a row, you're probably pregnant.
2. A missed period
If you're usually pretty regular and good old Aunt Flo doesn't put in her monthly appearance, head to the drugstore for a pregnancy test.
And finally ...
1. A positive home pregnancy test
If you've waited until at least the first day of a missed period to test and the stick turns blue, you're most likely in the family way. Make an appointment with your doctor to confirm the good news, and head on over to our pregnancy area. Congratulations!
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What's below:
• 10. Food cravings
• 9. Darkening of your areolas
• 8. Implantation bleeding or cramping
• 7. Frequent urination
• 6. Fatigue
• 5. Tender, swollen breasts
• 4. Morning sickness
• 3. Your basal body temperature stays high
• 2. A missed period
• 1. A positive home pregnancy test
• See also
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Food cravings
Sure it's a cliché, but food cravings sometimes can be a sign of pregnancy. Don't rely on them as a sure symptom (it may be all in your head, or even a sign that your body is low on a particular nutrient), but if cravings are accompanied by some of the other pregnancy symptoms on this list, start looking for an OB or midwife.
9. Darkening of your areolas
If the skin around your nipples gets darker, you may have successfully conceived, though this may also signal a hormonal imbalance unrelated to pregnancy or be a leftover effect from a previous pregnancy.
8. Implantation bleeding or cramping
About 12 to 14 days after ovulation (about the time you might expect your period), you may experience implantation spotting, a slight staining of a pink or brown color, as well as some cramping. This is caused by the fertilized egg burrowing into the wall of your uterus.
7. Frequent urination
Once the embryo implants and begins producing the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), you may find yourself going to the bathroom more often.
6. Fatigue
Feeling tired? No, make that exhausted. High levels of the hormone progesterone can make you feel as if you've run a marathon when all you've done is put in a day at the office. Fatigue is a hallmark of early pregnancy, though probably not a surefire pregnancy symptom on its own.
5. Tender, swollen breasts
If you're pregnant, your breasts will probably become increasingly tender to the touch, similar to the way they feel before your period, only more so. Once your body grows accustomed to the hormone surge, the pain will subside.
4. Morning sickness
If you're lucky, morning sickness won't hit you until a few weeks after conception. (A lucky few escape it altogether.) But as early as a couple of days following conception, you may begin feeling nauseated and queasy. And not just in the morning, either — pregnancy-related nausea can be a problem morning, noon, or night.
3. Your basal body temperature stays high
If you've been charting your basal body temperature and you see that your temperature has stayed above the coverline for 18 days in a row, you're probably pregnant.
2. A missed period
If you're usually pretty regular and good old Aunt Flo doesn't put in her monthly appearance, head to the drugstore for a pregnancy test.
And finally ...
1. A positive home pregnancy test
If you've waited until at least the first day of a missed period to test and the stick turns blue, you're most likely in the family way. Make an appointment with your doctor to confirm the good news, and head on over to our pregnancy area. Congratulations!
