Symptoms during pregnancy can be different from one pregnancy to the next, even from a woman's first to her last. The earliest signs of pregnancy go unrecognized by some women, especially in the first pregnancy. Women who are trying to conceive may notice the symptoms more readily. Many of the earliest pregnancy symptoms are similar to menstruation but occur one or two weeks too early.
Cramping
Mild to moderate uterine cramping can occur about six to 12 days after conception, according to the American Pregnancy Association. This is due to implantation, or the attaching of the fertilized egg to the uterine lining. Some women associate this with an upcoming menstrual period.
Spotting
Implantation can also cause mild spotting. This can be spotty and last one or two days. The bleeding can also be a slightly greater volume but only last for a few hours. This may also be attributed to an upcoming period instead of pregnancy.
Breast Tenderness
Within one or two weeks of conception, a woman's breasts may be tender or sore. Lying on the chest or working out can exacerbate the pain.
Visual Breast Changes
The breasts can swell or even change in physical appearance within one or two weeks of conception. The tissue surrounding the nipple, called the areola, can become darker than normal following conception. This often lasts until lactation has ended. Breast changes may be some of the first symptoms a woman experiences that leads her to recognize pregnancy.
Missed Period
A missed period is the most common sign of pregnancy that leads a woman to take a pregnancy test, according to the American Pregnancy Association.
Fatigue
Fatigue during early pregnancy is quite significant for many women. She may struggle to make it through the day without a nap. This often persists throughout the first trimester before disappearing until the third trimester.
Morning Sickness
Nausea and vomiting, commonly called morning sickness, can begin between the second and eighth week of pregnancy. For some women, this persists throughout the whole pregnancy; others get relief by the end of the first trimester. In addition to the nausea and vomiting, the woman may find some scents, tastes and textures to be nauseating. The Mayo Clinic suggests women may have food cravings throughout the entire pregnancy. When a woman is suffering from morning sickness, she may feel better by eating any foods that she craves to prevent an empty stomach, which will exacerbate nausea.
Backaches
Pain in the lower back, often described as dull, can begin early in pregnancy and continue throughout the entire pregnancy. Weight gain in the later weeks of pregnancy worsen the back pain.
Headaches
Following conception, hormone levels change in a woman's body. This can cause headaches during the first few weeks and throughout the first trimester.
Body Temperature
When ovulation-- the releasing of an egg by a woman's ovary--occurs, the woman's body temperature rises slightly. It remains at this level until the next period. If conception occurred, the temperature remains at this level throughout the next two weeks, according to the Mayo Clinic, or it may last until the end of pregnancy.
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