The wait to confirm pregnancy is both exciting and stressful, the body gives you many signals but those signals overlap with many other ailments like Pre Menstrual Syndrome (PMS), so one cannot be sure.
Sometimes, your body will let you know that you’re harboring a ray of sunshine and this blog discusses the early telltale signs that basically confirm that you’re pregnant and no, craving for sour food is not a definitive way of telling that you’re pregnant. So without further ado here goes:
TENDER BREAST:
Your breast undergoes changes very early after conception. You’re likely to develop tender and swollen breasts due to a spike in estrogen levels in the body. You can also experience an increase in the size of your areola – the area around the nipple –and it may become darker in colour and grow larger.
CRAMPING AND SPOTTING:
You may notice a small amount of spotting or vaginal bleeding which might be among the very first signs of pregnancy. This is also known as implantation bleeding, it typically happens after the fertilized egg attaches itself to the lining of uterus. This type of bleeding is usually a bit earlier, spottier, and lighter in color than a normal period. Some women also experience abdominal cramping during the early days of pregnancy.
MORNING SICKNESS AND NAUSEA:
Experiencing morning sickness and bouts of nausea is a classical early telltale sign of pregnancy. The female body due to the elevated level of estrogen passes food more slowly and this causes queasiness. Pregnancy is also known to heighten the sense of smell in women and thus you might find yourself extra sensitive to certain smells like perfume, cigarette smoke, smell of certain food which may trigger nausea.
CONSTIPATION AND BLOATING:
During pregnancy the body produces increased levels of progesterone which lead to the food being passed more slowly through the intestines which lead to constipation and bloating.
FATIGUE:
High levels of progesterone leads to the dilation of blood vessels, lowering of blood sugar levels which can make you feel dizzy, light-headed and tried during the early weeks of pregnancy. Also as the body works 24/7 to support the pregnancy and the heart pumps more blood to make oxygen available to the embryo and this takes its toll on the body.
MOOD SWINGS:
You might find yourself going through a range of emotions during this time-varying from irritability to bouts of depression. The increase in human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) level triggers moodiness and is fairly common in the first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy.
FREQUENT URINATION:
During this period frequent trips to the bathroom are fairly common as the expanding uterus puts pressure on the urinary bladder. The increased blood flow during this time also kicks the kidney into overdrive and produces more urine.
RISE IN BASAL BODY TEMPERATURE:
Basal body temperature is the oral temperature of the body that is raised when the female body ovulates. This temperature typically comes down after the period happens but if you are tracking your basal body temperature and it stays heightened for more than two weeks then it is an indicator of pregnancy.
AVERSION OR CRAVING FOR FOODS:
Pregnancy typically brings about sever hormonal changes in the body which might see you either turning up your nose or incessantly craving for food. Hormonal changes are typically high during the first few weeks of pregnancy and this is where you might feel the urge to gorge on fast foods or abstain from it.
MISSED PERIOD:
The most common and definitive sign of pregnancy is a missed period. Once implantation of embryo to uterine wall has occurred the body produces human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) hormone which instruct the ovaries to stop releasing the matured eggs. You are likely to miss the period four weeks from conception.
All these symptoms experienced in isolation could be indicative of any other disease but if you experience any sign in conjunction with other mentioned signs then you should get approach your doctor for a pregnancy test and start the celebrations once it is confirmed.
