Am I Pregnant?

What Are Common Early Pregnancy Symptoms?

There are many ways to know you’re pregnant. You may notice early signs, or you may not realize you’re pregnant at all. Everyone is different.

The most common signs of early pregnancy are:

• A missed period: The most common and obvious sign of pregnancy is missing your period. Pregnancy hormones stop ovulation and menstruation. But missing your period isn’t always a sign of pregnancy. Other causes include stress, excessive exercise and hormone imbalances.
• Fatigue: This sign of pregnancy happens due to rising levels of a hormone called progesterone. Plus, your body is working extra hard to support the pregnancy. This can leave you feeling extremely tired.
• Sore (and swollen) breasts: Your breasts can become tender during pregnancy. This is temporary until your body gets used to the increased hormones. Your areolas (the area around your nipples) might also darken and enlarge. You may notice that your breasts have gotten larger and your bra feels tighter, too.
• Morning sickness: This is the name for feeling like you want to vomit or actually vomiting. Though nausea during pregnancy is normal, it can be a problem if you vomit so much that you become dehydrated.
• Frequent trips to the bathroom: You might have to pee more. This happens because your body makes more blood during pregnancy. Your kidneys filter this extra blood and remove waste, which needs to leave your body as pee.

Remember, testing is the only way to know for sure that you’re pregnant. You can take a pregnancy test or have your healthcare provider order a blood test.

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You may not have signs or symptoms of pregnancy. If you do, you could have a missed period, tiredness or sore breasts.

What are other early signs of pregnancy?

There are some signs of early pregnancy that aren’t as common. Just like with the most common symptoms, these signs of pregnancy may or may not happen to you.

Less common signs of early pregnancy can include:

• Spotting (or implantation bleeding): Though it may seem like a bad sign, light bleeding (spotting) can be a sign of pregnancy. Implantation bleeding looks like small drops of blood or a brownish discharge from your vagina that you can see when wiping or even in the toilet after you pee.
• Food cravings, hunger and food aversions: Food can be complicated during early pregnancy. You may begin to crave certain foods or feel constantly hungry. While some foods and flavors may seem wonderful in early pregnancy, others might suddenly taste unpleasant.
• Metallic taste in your mouth: You may have a metallic taste in your mouth during the early stages of pregnancy. It may taste like you’re eating a pile of coins. This can happen when you eat certain foods or randomly throughout the day.
• Headaches and dizziness: Headaches and feelings of lightheadedness and dizziness are common during early pregnancy. This happens because of both the hormonal changes in your body and the increase in blood volume.
• Cramping: You can also experience mild, period-like cramps that come and go over a few days. Contact your healthcare provider if the cramps are severe or happen on just one side of your body.
• Mood swings: Changes in hormones can cause mood swings. This is normal and can happen throughout pregnancy. If you ever feel anxious, depressed or have thoughts of harming yourself, reach out to your healthcare provider right away.
• Congestion: You may have a stuffy nose in early pregnancy due to the increase in hormone levels and blood volume. The mucous membranes in your nose become dry and are more likely to bleed.
• Bloating: While it may take several weeks or months to have a noticeable baby bump, the surge of hormones can cause your stomach to feel bloated. You may also pass gas more often.
• Acne or skin changes: Your increased hormones and blood volume can cause any skin changes you may have. While some people get a pregnancy glow and clearer skin during pregnancy, others may get more pimples.

When do pregnancy symptoms start?

It varies. You may feel some symptoms as soon as you miss your period. Still, others may not feel pregnant until several weeks after a positive pregnancy test. Pregnancy symptoms vary between people and even between pregnancies.

When can I take a pregnancy test?

You can take a home pregnancy test as soon as you miss your period. Some tests say you can take it before you miss your period. But taking a test too soon can lead to a false negative. This means the test says you aren’t pregnant, but you are.

When should I call my doctor about a new pregnancy?

Call a pregnancy care provider if you miss your period and get a positive pregnancy test. They’ll want to see you for your first prenatal appointment. This usually happens between the sixth and eighth week of pregnancy. If you aren’t taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid, you should start one when you find out you’re pregnant.