For most women, pregnancy is a much-awaited event. If you are confused, check out these symptoms. It might be time to get a scientific/lab test done to confirm your doubts if you have been experiencing some — or all — of these symptoms. Just a gentle reminder: many of the early symptoms of pregnancy are similar to pre-menstrual distress, such as tender breasts and cramping.
The commonest pregnancy symptom is nausea. Whether or not there is vomiting, the rapidly rising levels of estrogen in early pregnancy make you want to retch. Normally, it shows up as morning sickness, where even the smell of toothpaste might make you want to throw up. In fact, the heightened sense of smell is also a major symptom. It is explained by experts as being a part of the body’s defense mechanism to ensure that the expectant mother doesn’t accidentally eat food that might have spoiled. Both are caused by the dramatic rise in human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) after implantation.
You shouldn’t take any anti-emetics at this stage as it might harm your child incalculably. Also, it normally goes away after the first trimester. If it is causing weight loss, then consult your doctor for mitigatory measures.
Closely linked to nausea and vomiting are food aversions and cravings. You might suddenly want to eat things you weren’t interested in, or simply hate the sight of dishes you loved earlier. Don’t worry it is self-limiting as usually, these symptoms diminish as pregnancy reaches full-term, and go away completely after delivery. Barring fruits like papaya, and certain other foodstuffs which you must avoid during pregnancy, eat and drink anything you suddenly crave. It is your body’s way of telling you that you need more of something.
The nasty part of pregnancy is that there could be constipation for increased progesterone causes food to pass more slowly through the intestines. This could turn into having to go to relieve yourself several times in the day. Frequent trips to the washroom somehow tend to linger throughout the pregnancy as the growing baby presses against the bowels and the bladder. The surge in hormones also causes regular, though usually mild, headaches in the first trimester.
It could be the dilation of the blood vessels to spur circulation and increased quantity of blood in the body which might make you feel lightheaded. It could be low blood pressure (BP). This giddiness during early pregnancy might also be caused by drops in blood sugar levels. In fact, low BP and low blood sugar could make you feel very weak and constantly fatigued.
Bizarre behavior is often an indicator that you will be welcoming a new member of the family soon. This usually shows up as mood swings which can be confused with PMS. There are many changes occurring within your body which are affecting your moods, sleep patterns, appetite, and general behavior. You might need to sleep more, even at odd times. Some unkind family member, colleague, or neighbor might even suggest that you need to see a psychiatrist. Unless it is harming your relationships, waiting for this storm to blow over.
Your likeliest, and earliest, indication that you are in the family way is missing your periods. However, there might be some spot which occurs when the fertilized egg travels down the fallopian tube and attaches itself to the endometrium of your uterus. There might be cramping pains in the lower abdomen or lower back pain. Closely allied to this is tenderness of the breast. Though there might be a pain in the breasts even just before your periods, it might indicate conception. If additionally, the nipples darken, grow bigger, and become sensitive, a trip to your gynecologist is indicated.