Finding out that you are pregnant may be an exciting or scary time. Regardless of how you feel about a possible pregnancy, it is better to find out early rather than later. Most women are familiar with one early sign that you could be pregnant, a missed menstrual period. A late or missing period may occur for other reasons as well, so it makes sense to learn about other signs that you may be expecting.
Nausea
Commonly known as morning sickness, nausea is one of the symptoms of early pregnancy that women expect to experience. Some fortunate women manage to go throughout their entire pregnancy without experiencing nausea, while others are sick the entire day, for the entire pregnancy. The American Pregnancy Association reports that most cases of morning sickness develop between the second and eighth week of pregnancy.
Extreme Fatigue
Crushing fatigue is an early sign that you may be pregnant. The Mayo Clinic reports that elevated levels of progesterone, combined with lower blood sugar levels, are to blame for this fatigue. Your body is also working hard at this time, increasing the amount of blood in your body, which leads to fatigue.
Cravings or Food Aversion
Hormone changes during pregnancy are most likely the reason many women experience food cravings or food aversions, according to the Mayo Clinic. Cravings may be for a particular food, or for a type of food, such as things that are salty. Food aversions are also common. Many women experience food aversions as one of the earliest sign of pregnancy, when they are no longer able to stomach their morning coffee.
New Aches and Pains
The American Pregnancy Association reports that the sudden changes in hormone levels that occur with pregnancy may lead to headaches. It is also common for women to experience pain in the lower back during the early stages of pregnancy. This back pain may continue throughout the pregnancy.
Breast Tenderness or Swelling
Another early sign that you may be expecting are changes in the breasts. Early in the pregnancy, often even before the first missed period, the breasts may become swollen or tender. Changes to the breasts are due to hormone changes during pregnancy, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Implantation Bleeding
When the embryo attaches to the wall of the uterus some women experience light bleeding and mild cramps. According to the American Pregnancy Association, this happens one to two weeks after conception. Depending on how heavy the bleeding is and whether the person was actively attempting to get pregnant, implantation bleeding may be mistaken for an actual period.
